Manam on alert

By ROSALYN EVARA, Post Courier

A STAGE one alert has been issued to villagers on Madang’s Manam Island following seismic activities reported in recent weeks.
This was revealed by an officer from the Rabaul Volcanic Observatory (RVO) when confirming reports given to this newspaper yesterday of smoke seen rising from the island’s volcano.
President of Iabu Local Level Gov-ernment Lawrence Konaka reported these volcanic activities and raise concerns over his people’s safety and future on the island.
He also wanted to know what plans the National Government had for the permanent resettlement of the islanders.
An officer from the Rabaul Volcanic Observatory when contacted the volcanic activities said there had been increased activities on the island since August 3 and because of this an officer, who also happened to be a local from Manam, had been sent to Madang to closely monitor the situation.
He said the office had been mon-itoring the situation and the activities had slightly decreased.
“Last week a small red glow could be seen at night and during the day time a bit of ash content but only at the mouth of the crater,” he said.
“We have issued a stage one alert and that basically means that villagers should be aware of these activities and be prepared.
“However at this stage there is no real cause for concern.”
He said all local authorities including the provincial administration had been briefed and they were still communicating with them.
Meanwhile, Mr Konaka said he was concerned that while there had been a lot of good talk on the issue of permanent resettlement, it was taking a little too long.
“We’ve had the Minister for Inter-Government Relations Job Pomat visit us and even the Prime Minister Sir Michael regarding our plight I am wondering who else is going to visit us in relation to this issue but more importantly when we will see some tangible progress?” he said.
“Our people have and continue to suffer. I really don’t know what the hold-up is or what we are waiting for? More blood to be spilled before this issue is seriously addressed?
“There has been too much fighting and my people are tired of this rou-tine.”

Manam students’ plight

By PORENI UMAU, Post Courier

THEY were forced out of their island community by a natural disaster and were placed in care centres.
They sought refuge at the Asuramba Care Centre in Bogia district, on the North Coast Road.
They are the future contributors to nation building and attend various high schools and secondary schools while others are in tertiary institutions including colleges and universities. Only by the “Grace of God” would they be allowed to continue.
They are students from Manam Island, currently living at the Asuramba Care Centre.
Their councillor John Siga from the Iabu local level government area raised concerns over these students, forced to withdraw from their studies because they could not pay their school fees.
Mr Siga said most of the affected were students in their final year of studies at tertiary institutions, others in Grades 10 and 12.
He said because they had been displaced by the volcano eruption in 2004, many who live at the care centre did not own anything at all.
He said that with such a problem, parents had no one to turn to for support as they had relied on the national and provincial governments until now.
Mr Siga said that it was disheartening to see intelligent young men and women pushed out of their final year studies because of school fee problems.
He said that they were asked to leave because they could not meet the fees owed.
“It is only by the ‘Grace of God’ that we hope they will be asked to return,” a worried Mr Siga said.
He said the deadline for fees lapsed last Friday and the students have not returned to classes.
He said the issue was brought to the attention of Madang Governor Sir Arnold Amet and a letter was submitted to Bogia MP John Hickey through the electoral officer Robert Nanguri last week regarding the plight of the Manam Island students.
Meanwhile, Mr Siga said that the people had gone without a health worker since the conflict a few months ago.

15 die in Manam

Dr Sibek Bieb (seated left) talking to villagers on Manam Island on Sunday. Bieb is among a small team of health specialists from Madang dispatched to the volcanicn island.

By Malum Nalu, The National
FIFTEEN people from Manam Island in Madang have died from a mysterious disease.
However, Sir Peter Barter, who yesterday flew to the island on his helicopter, said last night the disease could be cholera although this was yet to be confirmed.
The deaths were initially confirmed by local councillor Paul Mabora from Bogia yesterday.
He said two children and 13 adults (five women and eight men) had died since June 17.
As Mabora spoke on the phone to The National from Bogia Hospital, the sound of weeping relatives could be heard in the background, as the mystery ailment claimed its latest victim. All victims were from Duguluba village on the volcanic island. Mabora said all victims, some of whom had fronted up at the Bien health centre on Manam and Bogia Hospital on the mainland, had complained of having initial symptoms of a cold sensation which started from the soles of their feet and began to work its way upwards to the upper part of the body.
By the time the cold feeling reached the abdomen and stomach of each of the victims, the feeling of hunger then became so intense and, by the time the cold reached the heart, the victim collapsed and was pronounced dead.
Of the 15 fatalities, 10 died in the village, three at Bien health centre and two at Bogia hospital.
Yesterday, a team of specialists from the Madang provincial health office and Modilon Hospital was dispatched by road to Bogia and then by sea over to Manam Island where they will be for the next two days.
Another small team was yesterday flown by Sir Peter on helicopter to the island to determine what the disease might be and how to prevent more deaths.
All the villagers living in Dugulaba were panic-stricken and were making their way to live with relatives in care centres on the mainland.
Dugulaba villagers had been living at Daigul care centre on the mainland until March this year when they were forced out by local landowners.
“We do not know what kind of disease it is. If it is cholera, you have diarrhoea but, with this disease, you have no diarrhoea.
“Your legs go numb and it spreads up to the heart and you die. The victims felt cold in their legs and the feeling spread throughout the body. They then say they feel hungry and then drop dead.”
Life for islanders on Manam is very hard with no water supply, and people drink water from wells which are contaminated with volcanic dust.