Police confirm planned city evictions

Police have confirmed that multiple settlements across Port Moresby will be evicted this year as part of a wider effort to restore law and order in the nation’s capital, following the recent eviction at Two Mile Hill.

Acting Assistant Commissioner of Police, and Commander for NCD and Central Province, Benjamin Turi, said eviction orders are already in place, and more will be executed in the coming months.

Speaking to NBC News in an interview, Turi confirmed that the Two-Mile Hill eviction was carried out after repeated violent incidents and warnings to residents.

“We have eviction orders ready for all the other settlements, ready to move out,” a/ACP Turi said.

He confirmed that areas including Garden Hills, Badili, Works Compound at Four Mile, Six Mile, Eight Mile which include locations stretching from Glory Estate to the power station areas are all scheduled for clearance.

According to Turi, an eviction at Six Mile, and down to Saraga Police Station is expected by March.

“By March, we’re going to remove them,” he said.

Turi said some evictions were delayed after court action by settlers, but he strongly warned that police are prepared to proceed once legal barriers are cleared.

Referring to previous case, he said, the settlers took the eviction cases to court and hoped that they lost their cases.

He said the overall plan is to clear informal settlements from within the city and relocate occupants to the outskirts, stressing that settlers must not move onto customary land in Central Province.

“With the NCD authority, we have to clear every settlement in the city and move them to the fringes of the town,” Turi said.

Turi said the evictions are aimed at improving public safety, arguing that settlements within the city have allowed criminals to carry out attacks and retreat unnoticed.

“The eviction is good to clear the city.

"The police have full backing from the Prime Minister, Acting Prime Minister, Police Minister, NCD MPs and the NCD Governor.