Papua Native Landowners Association Inc - PNLAInc

04/07/2026

04/07/2026

4 July 2026

Today marks 141 years since the first Catholic Mission was established at Ravao (Yule Island), Central Province.

On 4 July 1885, the first Holy Mass was celebrated by the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, led by Father Henri Verius, marking one of the most significant events in the history of Papua and what would later become Papua New Guinea.

But the story of Ravao is far older than the arrival of missionaries.

Long before European ships appeared on our shores, Ravao was the ancestral home of the Roro, together with the Marehau and Koirara peoples whose histories, customs and trade networks shaped this part of Papua for countless generations.

The island stood as a gateway into the Gulf of Papua, welcoming traders, travellers and, eventually, explorers, missionaries and colonial administrators.

Yule Island became one of the earliest centres of European influence in Papua.

From here, Christianity spread across much of southern Papua. Schools, health services and mission stations were established, while many Papuans received their first formal education through the mission.

Ravao also occupies a unique place in our national story. It is the home of Susan Karike, the woman who designed the national flag of Papua New Guinea in 1971.

The red and black colours that dominate our national flag were inspired by the traditional colours of the Roro people, forever linking the heritage of Yule Island with the identity of our nation.

During the Second World War, the waters around Yule Island formed part of an important naval and maritime corridor supporting Allied operations along Papua's southern coast. Its sheltered harbour and strategic location made it an important waypoint during one of the darkest chapters of our history.

For generations, Yule Island has been known as the Land of Queens, reflecting the strength, dignity and leadership of its women within Roro society and the surrounding communities. It remains a place where culture, history and faith continue to live side by side.

As we commemorate this anniversary, we honour our ancestors who cared for these lands long before colonial contact.

We remember the generations who welcomed visitors while preserving their identity, language and customs. We also recognise the complex history of exploration, colonisation and mission work that shaped modern Papua.

For the Papua Native Landowners Association Inc., this day is also a reminder that our ancestral lands are not merely places on a map.

They are the foundation of our identity, our sovereignty, our culture and our future.
May the history of Ravao continue to inspire all Papua New Guineans to value our Indigenous heritage, protect our customary lands and pass the truth of our history to future generations.

*Issued by the Papua Native Landowners Association Inc. (PNLA).*

Video courtesy of Lucielle Paru Papua Native Landowners Association Inc - PNLAInc 2025 LLG ELECTIONS OBSERVATION

03/07/2026

COMMUNITY LEGAL AWARENESS

Many Papua New Guineans believe that if someone trespasses onto their land, the landowner can personally charge the offender. This is not correct.

Under the laws of Papua New Guinea, only the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary has the authority to investigate alleged criminal offences and lay criminal charges before the courts.

If a person enters your customary or private land without your permission, you should follow these legal steps.

1. Tell the person that they are on your land without permission and ask them to leave peacefully.

2. Do not use violence, threats or damage their property. Taking the law into your own hands may result in criminal charges against you.

3. Collect evidence. This may include photographs, videos, witness statements, GPS locations, copies of agreements, land boundaries, and details of any crops, buildings or natural resources that have been damaged.

4. Gather documents proving your rights over the land. These may include customary ownership evidence, genealogy, Incorporated Land Group records, court orders, survey plans, mediation records or other documents establishing lawful ownership or occupation.

5. Report the matter to the nearest Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary police station and make a formal complaint. Provide all evidence to assist the police investigation.

6. The police will investigate the complaint. If sufficient evidence exists that a criminal offence has been committed, the police may lay the appropriate criminal charges.

Where the trespass involves destruction of property, stealing, unlawful damage, illegal occupation, threats, assault, illegal logging, unlawful mining, or the unlawful removal of sand, gravel, timber or other natural resources, additional criminal offences under the Criminal Code Act and other Acts of Parliament may also apply.

In addition to criminal proceedings, landowners may also seek civil remedies through the courts, including injunctions to stop continuing trespass, orders requiring the removal of trespassers, damages for losses suffered, and declarations confirming customary ownership or possession.

The legal principles protecting landowners in Papua New Guinea include:

• The Constitution of the Independent State of Papua New Guinea recognises and protects customary law and customary land rights.

• Approximately 97 percent of land in Papua New Guinea remains under customary ownership and is protected by law.

• The Land Act 1996 and related land legislation regulate dealings affecting land and protect lawful interests in land.

• The Criminal Code Act provides offences that may apply where trespass is accompanied by criminal conduct such as wilful damage, stealing, assault, intimidation or other unlawful acts.

• The Underlying Law Act recognises customary law as part of the underlying law of Papua New Guinea where it is consistent with the Constitution and written law.

• The National and Supreme Courts have consistently recognised that unlawful interference with another person's lawful possession of land may give rise to both civil and criminal consequences depending on the facts.

Landowners should remember that every case depends on its own facts. Simply entering land does not automatically mean a person has committed a criminal offence. Police will assess the evidence and determine whether criminal charges are appropriate. However, anyone who unlawfully occupies land, damages property, removes natural resources, intimidates landowners or refuses to leave after being lawfully directed may face both criminal prosecution and civil action.

Knowing your rights is the first step towards protecting your customary land, your ancestors' heritage and the rights of future generations through the rule of law.primarily a civil wrong (a tort) in Papua New Guinea.

Simple trespass to land is primarily a civil wrong (a tort) in Papua New Guinea. Criminal liability generally arises when the trespass is accompanied by another criminal offence, such as wilful damage, stealing, unlawful occupation, assault, intimidation, or offences under other legislation. This distinction is important so that community members receive accurate legal guidance.

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03/07/2026

The Supreme Sukundimi Declaration is Final:
Why the Frieda Mine Will Never Have a Social License.

The Supreme Sukundimi Declaration, enacted by the traditional chiefs and custodians representing 78,000 people along the Sepik River, has officially, legally, culturally, and spiritually banned the Frieda River mine project. Under local indigenous law and human logic, this mine is completely illegal.

Yet, in the matrix of global capital, Pan Aust does not recognize the Sukundimi Declaration, nor does it care about the absolute environmental catastrophe a tailings dam failure would cause to the headwaters of one of the world's last pristine river systems. Instead, Pan Aust is acting exactly like an institutional psychopath.

The profound cultural veto of the Sepik people is being treated as a minor public relations hurdle, to be managed with glossy corporate social responsibility brochures rather than respected as a binding, legal termination of their project.

As a matter of fact, Pan Aust’s ultimate allegiance is purely to its corporate balance sheet and to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Pan Aust claims it has secured Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC), but the film Sukundimi Walks Before Me has showed the world that it does not. This award-winning documentary clearly exposes the fact that the FPIC Pan Aust claims to have is highly questionable, and proves the company will never, ever get a true social license from the people.

The world is taking notice: at the Sydney Film Festival on June 14, 2026, Sukundimi Walks Before Me won the prestigious Sustainable Future Award, where the festival and global audiences agreed that the Supreme Sukundimi’s declaration is final.
Despite this global acknowledgement and massive local resistance, a dangerous corporate coup is unfolding in Port Moresby. The cash-strapped Government of Papua New Guinea is deeply vulnerable to corporate leverage.

Pan Aust and its backers are using standard macroeconomic coercion, promising GDP growth, infrastructure, and revenue, to pressure state officials into completely ignoring their own citizens.
Guess what? Against God’s wishes, against religion, spirituality, science, laws, and the furious public outcry by Sepiks, Prime Minister Marape is actively pushing for this project. There is no democracy here, only a raw corporatocracy.

Watch closely as the Mineral Resources Authority (MRA) also buckles under this pressure. Both the Conservation and Environment Protection Authority (CEPA) and the MRA are operating in total secrecy, refusing to release critical public documents. It has now been eight months since the decision on the six Environmental Permits was made, and the public has still not been allowed to see them.

The warnings we hear about Corporate Take-Over of democracies globally are happening locally right now in Wewak and Port Moresby. The Frieda River project is a textbook example of corporate and Chinese power attempting to ruthlessly override human rights, indigenous sovereignty, and ecological survival. To Pan Aust, the destruction of the Sepik River is simply an acceptable cost of doing business.

But we, the people of the Sepik, of PNG, and our many allies around the world, repeat here and now: the Supreme Sukundimi has already banned the Frieda Mine. That decision is absolute, it is final, and it will not be overridden.

03/07/2026

WE STAND WITH BOUGAINVILLE

MEMBER for Rabaul and Chairman of the Bougainville Bipartisan Committee this week issued an urgent call for East New Britain leaders to establish a definitive provincial stance on the Bougainville referendum before the National Parliament votes later this year.

03/07/2026

Thank you

The Consultative Implementation and Monitoring Council (CIMC) recently joined civil society organisations (CSOs) and advocacy bodies for an intensive four-day workshop focused on social accountability and raising awareness about the importance of a Citizens’ Budget in Papua New Guinea.

25/06/2026

Police in Port Moresby have arrested ten suspects over the death of a 20 year old man and the attempted murder of another victim.  Among the arrests were four security guards from Fix Security Firm, four shop assistants and two Chinese expatriates from Cash and Carry Shopping Center at Gerehu’s R...

25/06/2026

The Papua Native Landowners Association Incorporated (PNLA) proudly congratulates our five staff members who successfully completed the four-day Social Accountability Workshop and Training held in Port Moresby from 22 to 25 June 2026.

This important training strengthened participants' knowledge and skills in social accountability, citizen budgeting, public consultation processes, transparency, good governance, and civic participation.

The workshop provided valuable opportunities to engage with government agencies, civil society organizations, and development partners on improving accountability and service delivery for the people of Papua New Guinea.

We commend our staff for their commitment to learning and professional development. The knowledge gained will greatly assist PNLA in advancing the rights of customary landowners, promoting transparent governance, strengthening community participation, and advocating for accountable development across our communities.

We extend our sincere appreciation and gratitude to the European Union, UNDP Papua New Guinea, and the Consultative Implementation and Monitoring Council (CIMC) for making this training possible and for their continued support in building the capacity of civil society organizations throughout Papua New Guinea.

PNLA remains committed to working with our partners to promote transparency, accountability, good governance, and meaningful community participation in decision-making processes that affect our people and customary lands.

Congratulations once again to our five PNLA representatives on this achievement. We look forward to seeing the positive impact of your new skills and knowledge in our ongoing advocacy and community work.


Lucielle Paru Allan Tarua Behori Joku Yava Geita