2 MILE HOT SPOT CRIME AREA, EVICTION NECESSARY
THE recent eviction at Rabiagini 2-mile area in the Moresby South Electorate of National Capital District has stemmed from continuous armed hold ups, related crimes and violence by youths and residents from the surrounding settlement communities.
Earlier this month, an expatriate was ambushed and had his armed chopped off when he was held up by thugs there, and many more similar stories and experiences have been told by commuters and ordinary citizens who have fallen victims.
On Saturday night, as police reported, a resident shot at police officers who were in the area and escaped, prompting the police to return the next morning (Saturday) and torched down houses, and also bulldozed and evicted residents.
In a recent statement from the Deputy Prime Minister and also Minister for Lands and Urbanisation John Rosso, described the ongoing eviction of the illegal settlement at 2 Mile Hill in Port Moresby as necessary to protect law-abiding citizens, reaffirming that the area is State land and has been unlawfully occupied for many years.
Rosso said the settlement has, for far too long, been a major source of law-and-order problems, resulting in numerous attacks on city residents and police, as well as injuries to innocent people and that when people attack law-abiding citizens and police, it will not be tolerated.
The Acting Prime Minister expressed sympathy for hardworking and law-abiding residents who have been living at 2 Mile Hill and acknowledged that not everyone in the area has been involved in criminal activity.
However, he made it clear that those who are unemployed or have no lawful basis to remain in the city should seriously consider returning to their villages, where opportunities for family and community support exist.
While the National Capital District Governor Powes Parkop also support the Deputy Prime Minsiter’s statement, he says the eviction at Rabiagini 2-Mile in Port Moresby was forced on authorities after repeated failures by the community to renounce crime and violence.
Governor Parkop said he had not commented earlier because he was focused on managing the situation, working with Acting Prime Minister John Rosso , Minister and Member for Moresby South Justin Tkatchenko, ACP Benjamin Turi, Metsup Warrick Simatab, Member for Goilala Casmiro Aia and community leaders to manage the situation.
He said the community had been given many opportunities to change, including a full community meeting in 2022, but the problems continued.
“We can’t continue to do the same thing expecting a different outcome. We have to do things differently. It was our plan to undertake an orderly relocation and resettlement but this situation was forced on our hands” he said.
Describing the situation as unfortunate and regrettable, Governor Parkop said many innocent people, especially women and children, were affected by the eviction and many more had been affected by the continuous violence and criminal activities over the years in the area
He acknowledged that some residents were third or fourth generation settlers who would face challenges resetting their lives, but said the NCDC Administration was committed to resettling them and had catered for this in its 2025 and now 2026 Provincial budget.
He said the current situation meant the eviction had to be carried out in this way, adding that the community must accept responsibility rather than passing blame.
Governor Parkop said authorities would also begin relocating other communities at 2-Mile, mainly Simbu, Eastern Highlands and some Southern Highlands groups, as part of an orderly and planned relocation and resettlement process as early as tomorrow Tuesday 27th January, 2026.
He said funding for the exercise was included in the 2026 NCD BUDGET which was passed and approved this afternoon by the NCDC Board. Basic support to the affected communities now will be released based on needs assessment.
