More than 400 displaced men, women and children, whose houses were burnt at Lae’s Boundary road Settlement, during a clash, several months ago, will have to spend this Christmas away from their former homes.
52-year-old mother of 6 children, Furuyu Hone, says they had moved to the Morobe Governor’s official residence on the 4th of September following clashes that started in October last year.
Hone, says they were not supposed to seek refuge at the Governor’s official residence as the clash was not their problem. But they had become victims of it.
The group spent the last Christmas in makeshift shelters after their home was torched.
While talks have been continuing to bring back peace and normalcy this year another fight broke out in September leaving many of them homeless once again.
The displaced families are from various ethnic groups.
They are living in what is officially, the governor’s residence for about three months.
Their hopes to spend this Christmas with family and friends at their former homes were tarnished.
Hone and the other men, women and children are raising concerns if they will ever return home. This is the second time; they will have to spend Christmas in a refuge.
The environment is not conducive anymore for them to live in. Food, water and other necessities, is a constant challenge.
The area was once overgrown with weeds. They had to cut the grass and clean the place.
Live is hard. They had to engage in informal business to help look after their children’s basic needs.
It is not comfortable anymore, they are now homesick. The house is also overcrowded and some had to build temporary shelters to live in.
