Community does not want to see land surveyed on Aniwa

Aniwa is known for its sweet orange

Chiefs of the three biggest villages on Aniwa, namely, Imale, Itagutu and Ikaokao and 90 percent of their people have described the action carried out by Nalwang Lorry as a “daylight robbery” in their eyes.

A reliable source who did not want to be named reported that Nalwang Lorry, a law student currently on scholarship at USP Emalus Campus accompanied a private surveyor to Aniwa Island and did a survey on some part of the island using GPS machine, without proper authorization from the five customary tribes. The people described the action as daylight robbery because the job was carried out on a Sunday, and importantly, Lorry has no right to carry out the job.

“Nalwang is a law student who knew well that he should not be involved in land issues, yet he did so”, the reliable source said.

The reliable source added that Nalwang and the hired surveyor were threatened for carrying out the survey using their GPS machine and confirmed some of their machine were confiscated.

The chiefs and the people of Aniwa wish to make it clear that according to the article carried by Daily Post on Issue No. 3648, the claims made by Chief Kilip Seru and John Lorry were baseless because the meeting of 17 August 2010 was “null and void” as stated by the Office of the Public Solicitor in a letter dated 25 February 2010, to John Lorry, Chief Dick and Job Deiu, which they intentionally ignored.

The Council of chiefs on Aniwa is asking the Itaura Tribe to respect the Public Solicitor’s letter.

Vakavanua Council of Chiefs on Aniwa is also calling on to Nalwang and his father, John Lorry, not to mislead the public and the people of Aniwa as 90 percent of the people there know very well who the rightful custom landowner is, as he has won a lot island court cases in the islands.

The frustrated source said the people of Aniwa will not tolerate to see any further survey until the land tribunal conducts a formal training on the island to boost older and suitable people from every tribe to make proper decision on their own land.

“No compensation will be paid by the Seacology Company or Bright Mark to the Itaura Tribe as they requested, but the Lands Tribunal body which will set up on the island will deal with the issue,” the source stated.

A call has been made to the people of Aniwa to remain calm, restore and uphold the customary law as the matter is already in hand.

The source is also appealing to the Lands Department to contact the Vakavanua council of chiefs should anyone wish to make any attempt to register any land on Aniwa including the airport under the name of Iaresei Imasa or Itarua Nakamal.

On the other hand, the source is conveying apologies to the readers of Daily Post and the Tafea Group network forum for the inconvenience caused by this saga.

Daily Post encourages disputing parties to solve such land problems in their own areas amicably and we will not run any more stories on this issue.