By JOE GURINA
COMMUNITIES residing at the ATS settlement in the National Capital District were caught off guard when policemen gave them a surprise destruction visit to their properties on Wednesday, Jan 13.
Police personnel believed to be from the Zone 2 taskforce command in NCD had disrupted their daily informal business activities at the first block market area, burning down their market stalls.
Community leader Luke Wape told this paper during an interview on site that police presence in their community was a deliberate instruction carried out in relation to the eviction exercise that was carried out on Portion 695.
Wape, however said the presence of police was questioned since the eviction notice served to the communities residing at portion 695 was still under court process and the verdict not ruled yet. The police came around 7am and the community was caught off guard.
“Police came at around 7am when people were conducting their daily informal business. Nobody knew what was going on, but we are very well aware of the portion 695 eviction exercise that will take place. It is still under court process and the court process is not complete yet,’’ Wake said.
He said the lawyer representing them on the case said that the final ruling on the case will be heard on February 11.
He further stated that the destructions caused by police was not within the vicinity of Portion 695.
He said the Police Commissioner David Manning was not aware of the police operation carried out and ordered his men to withdraw from the area.
Meanwhile, Wake has called on the MP for Moresby South and the Governor for NCD to seriously consider the livelihood of the population who reside at portion 695.
He said the community that resides on the said portion have been living there over the last 20 years and have built permanent infrastructures.
Portion 695 title is believed to have been acquired given to Dan Lavin, a Chinese firm.
