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Manam islanders displaced by volcano to re-settle

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Updated 26 September 2012, 11:05 AEST

Papua New Guinea's Madang provincial government says it plans to resettle Manam Islanders who have been living in care centres since their homes were destroyed by the volcano on their island eight years ago.

Listen: Manam islanders displaced by volcano to re-settle (Credit: ABC)

They will be offered land owned by the traditional people of Madang who have agreed to the development package contained in the proposed resettlement plans.

Firmin Nanol reports from Port Moresby.

Presenter: Firmin Nanol

Speaker: Governor of the province, Jim Kas. Chairman of the Manam Island Council of Chiefs, Martin Ururu

NANOL: Nearly ten thousand people left the place they called home for years- when Manam- a volcanic Island in the Madang province erupted in 2004.

They have been living at government funded care centres on mainland Bogia District, ever since and the population has increased.

The newly elected Governor of the province, Jim Kas says the Manam Islanders need to be resettled permanently.

He says a customary land has been found, which is yet to be developed into a mini township with basic services for them.

Governor Kas says PNG's national government has promised over 7 million Australian dollars, to fund the planned resettlement program.

He says the funds will be used to build roads, accommodation facilities, bridges, schools and health facilities including infrastructure for the islanders.

KAS: I think the priorities is about securing land and joining them and making them ready for the number of people that we would be accommodating there.

NANOL: Is there any schools, airports and infrastructure already in existence to cater for the Manam islanders that will be relocated?

KAS: Let me just make it very clear, it is a really remote location that the people from that particular place have agreed to allow for resettlement of the Manam islanders. I think most of the officers in the provincial government are … sort of selling the concept to them and it would mean that it would also go with construction of schools, maybe a hospital, and eventually I believe the area will grow into a little town.

NANOL: The Manam Islanders are living at the Potsdam, Mangem and Asarumba care centres on mainland Bogia District.

Chairman of the Manam Island Council of Chiefs, Martin Ururu says they want to move out and live on their own sooner than later.

He says the population has increased and resources are scarce on the care centres.

URURU: The consensus of the people is they want to move, we want to move them into the new location.

NANOL: Are the people happy to go and stay on this proposed place called Andarum?

URURU: Generally the people are receptive to that idea, they want to move.

NANOL: And how soon do they want to move?

URURU: As soon as possible so long as all the infrastructure, everything, all the services are in place, then they're prepared to move.

NANOL: And how many people are we actually looking at, Manam islanders that will be relocated?

URURU: It is approximately maybe between 15 to 16-thousand, that's including women and children. The life here in the care centres we don't have any economic activities to partake in, and for the last eight to nine years we've been neglected. I think our new Governor is on the right train in trying to assisting us now, and we think we are part of Papua New Guinea and I think the government should come to our assistance instead of neglecting us for so long.

NANOL: However there remains a hindrance to the Manam Islanders permanent resettlement plan.

The Manam Restoration Authority does not have the legal basis to seek and use government funds to carry out work on the plans.

Its existence expired and a new law authorising it has to be passed by the Papua New Guinea parliament.

Madang Governor Jim Kas says that's one of his priorities...to have a permanent authority to manage the resettlement plans to fruition.

KAS: We will have to revisit the Manam resettlement authority or MRA law which was passed in parliament. The problem with that MRA law is that it had something called a sunset clause, it means that there is a time limit to a law which has a sunset clause. The Manam Restoration Authority had a sunset clause, it expired I think last year, last year or early this year, meaning that that law has no longer any authority over what should be done on Manam. So it has also dawned on us in the province that that law is no longer enforced, so we are to go back to scratch and advice the legislative council to re-doing the law, to having it presented either back to parliament or having the government bring in new legislation, and then we have to have this law passed for the Manams to come in.

NANOL: Governor Kas says it's not just a quick fix solution, but a long term solution for the people of Manam Island, who have been displaced by a volcanic eruption eight years ago.

Australian Broadcasting Corporation: © ABC