Ngatpang State Public Land Authority (NSPLA) sued Aimeliik State Public Land Authority (AIMSPLA) Trei Clan representatives and representatives of families, claimants of Trei Clan and former Aimeliik State Land Registration Officer over lands claimed within an area where Ngatpang and Aimeliik have overlapping boundaries.
In the suit filed, Ngatpang State Public Land Authority claimed that lands awarded to Trei Clan and others within this area are owned and managed by Ngatpang State Public Land Authority and it was not properly notified of the claims as a land owner.
NSPLA claim that lands fall within Ngatpang State boundary according to its State Charter and that they were claimed by Ngatpang Municipal Public Land Authority under the Palau District Public Lands Authority granting all public land “within geographic boundary of the chartered Municipality of Ngatpang”.
The suit asserts that former Aimeliik LRO Borman Teltull knew these lands belonged to Ngatpang but filed them as cadastral under Aimeliik.
Ngatpang and Aimeliik have disputed boundary with Ngatpang claiming, based on its charter, certain lands including Ongsekikl to be Ngatpang. Aimeliik State charter also claimed Ongsekikl within the same area.
NSPLA seeks to void and nullify the land titles awarded by court to Trei clan and other claimants saying they were obtained by fraud and violations of due process.
The case will certainly trigger the simmering boundary conflict between the two States that started after 1958, after the charters of both states were drafted.