By: L.N. Reklai
Thirty-nine (39) home owners at Tiull, Ngerbeched now have to pay rent for homes they’ve built and lived for decades or be evicted by landowners.
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Last week, residents of Tiull began receiving bills from Diribkal Hiroko Sugiyama and Ngiribkal Milang Eberdong of Ngeribkal Clan who had recently won the appeal for land in Tiull, Ngerbeched where these homes are located.
The bills which range from $300 per month to over a $1,000 per month, are retroactive to 2015, meaning that some are to pay anywhere from $13,000 to $40,000 in back rent.
One such homeowner, anguished over the bill, tearfully unable to accept the situation. She said that she had lived here all her life and had built a home and raise family in their home and now have to pay rent or else be evicted.
Many of the homeowners have moved from other States to Koror in the early 50’s and even earlier and leased portions of this land from Trust Territory government. Trust Territory government transferred the lands to Koror State Government, which continued to lease the lands to applicants. Many people from Peleliu and other States had relocated to Koror for work and schooling and obtained leases at Tiull to build their homes.
Ngeribkal clan had been claiming the land since the 1950’s and until recently Land Court awarded the ownership of land to the Ngeribkal clan. This decision was appealed by Koror State Public Land Authorities and other parties but appeal decision affirmed the first decision confirming ownership of the Ngeribkal Clan. [/restrict]