Solutions to displaced families “complicated”

By: L.N. Reklai

Minister Baklai Temengil-Chilton said in a press conference on Wednesday that solutions addressing the displaced families are “complicated”. This, before the Taskforce on Displaced Palauan Resident met with President Remengesau to deliver their first mandated report.

Results of that report have not been made available as of publication, but during the interview, Minister Chilton expressed that the issue with displaced families are made more complicated because of the on-going nature of cases such as pending land claims, on-going discussions with landowners, home owners and state governments.

She reported that little over 200 families are displaced. The displacement has been going on for many years due to various reasons.

A report from 2016 Displaced Palauan Resident’s Taskforce may reflect what the some of the recommendations for this year would be.  The 2016 Taskforce reported that most of the displaced are in Koror where 85% of the Palauan population reside.  Some of the causes cited for displacement include successful return of private land claims, acquisition of property by foreigners, climate change impact and poor urban planning among others.

Some of the 2016 recommendations include getting Palau Housing Authority to provide better access to affordable housing, adoption of national housing policy, adoption of an alternative and effective urban planning policy.

In the past 10 years, many of the private claims on previously held public lands were adjudicated in favor of private claimants, especially in Koror where high percentage of Palau population resides.  As result, many who held leases with Koror State Public Land Authority lost their homes to the successful private claimants and had to move or pay rent for homes they’ve lived in for decades.

Most recent case was in Tiull, Ngerbeched where over 30 homeowners suddenly found themselves without homes that they’ve built and lived in for decades when the private claimants won back their lands from the government.

The issue reached critical level prompting leadership to seek ways to address the issue and the Taskforce on the Displaced was reactivated.