Papua New Guineans have been urged not to sell their land freely. This was a topic of concern raised on land mediation in Buka. It was discussed that “the selling customary land is the selling of birth right, which in turn creates future problems.”
Advocator Agnes Titus said that dialogue involving the clan is negotiable, rather than individuals, who have often sold the land for their own personal interests and not for the clan or tribe.
Melchior Dare, Minister for Community Development Ministers of the Autonomous Bougainville Government, warned that it is an illegal practice to sell land that is publicly owned.
Such practices have resulted in many conflicts that had no win-win solution or no negotiable outcome.
Many projects have also failed, which is due to the personal interest of people.
The landowners have been urged to register their land in order to preserve and solidify their legal authentication.
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