Papua New Guinea landslide tragedy survivors continue sleeping on a mass grave - community leader

Relatives of people buried alive in the devastating landslide in Papua New Guinea's remote Enga Province are still sleeping on the rocks that buried their dead relatives.

Hundreds of people died in the massive landslide that occurred in the middle of the night on 24 May, and thousands of people have been displaced.

The disaster has wiped out entire communities.

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• Mass burial site after Enga landslide: death toll remains unknown

But almost two months on, community leader Miok Michael said there is still no coordination of a proper relocation plan for the victims.

"The national government has declared the landslide zone a burial zone and people are just leaving around there. [Sleeping on the graves of their loved ones] is what they're doing. They're calling, they're crying," Michael told RNZ Pacific on Thursday.

"If there is a relocation plan, then there is no proper communication and awareness of that plan to the affected people," he said.

"The delay is caused by misinformation and a lack of understanding between the local affected people, and the committee responsible on how the support/resources will be used for the benefit of survivors and their future."

He said there were layers of issues.

"There are issues like in our communities, mostly affected people are the women and children" Michael said.

There has also been fighting "between tribes" which has eased in the last week, with major efforts underway for reconciliation, according to Michael.

He added "the response team are not responding according to what they expected" for landslide victims.

"What authorities need is to give a relocation site for them to settle them first before the next step to [address] the problem of recovery."

Polygamy is a significant practice in Enga, aid agency CARE International's Justine McMahon has said.

"Definitely still an issue, community relations engagement," Michael said.

He said communication around aid for polygamous families remains an issue with one wife getting aid and others missing out, for example.

Protest in Porgera

People in the town of Porgera have this week held a peaceful protest on 16 July, calling on authorities to immediately open the road to Porgera, which remains cut off due to the landslip.

Students, health workers and residents took to the streets calling on the government to open the access road immediately.

They say the costs of goods and services have surged uncontrollably because there is no steady supply of goods via land.

"People have suffered the most and [are] demanding the government to open the access road as a matter of urgency and priority for the suffering people, schools, health posts, government services and public servants," Michael said.

How long before the road can be reopened?

The Porgera bypass is nowhere near finished.

Michael said he had spoken with the contractors who told him it will be another four to six months to complete the bypass.

The main highway to Porgera was blocked by the Yambali landslide, leaving community leaders no other option but to airlift food in to feed about 80,000 people who have been affected.

"People are calling for help," Michael said.

"The company [New Porgera Mine] is also helping them to supply food through the helicopter."

He said fuel was being pumped through rubber pipes to Porgera and food is being flown in by helicopter as the land is too rocky for food gardens.

There were fears that the thousands of people in the Porgera area were on the brink of starvation as the only way they could access food was by helicopter.

"They're still building the bypass route to the other side of the mining site for Porgera," Michael added.