After living in exile for over a century, the Siar community can now celebrate their milestone accomplishment. They are now recognized by the National government as the rightful land owners of “Portion 46, Siar plantation”. In Papua New Guinea, land is power. It is strength, and authority. Some locals are still living like tenants on their own customary land.

It is the first of its kind for Siar village, in the Ambenob LLG of Madang province to have retrieved the land title of their customary land. Siar is one of the many villages in the Bel area, who have lost their land during the arrival of the Germans in the 1880’s.

Member for Madang, Hon. Bryan Kramer assures the locals that he will help to assist in the fight to retrieve their customary land from foreign companies who claimed it from them. He thanked Siar village for being the model to other villages in the Bell area and also throughout the province. He urged the other locals to retrieve the original titles to their land as evidence to prove in court.

The road may be long and bitter for Siar village, but the accomplishment is even sweeter!

 

-Biket Pukpuk-