Karalo Naituki has been living at the Fiji Muslim League squatter settlement in Nabua for more than 30 years.
He is one of as many as a thousand residents facing eviction following a public notice by the Fiji Muslim League that they would be beginning legal proceedings to remove those occupying their property.
“I have been living here since the 1980s,” he said.
“My wife and I moved here looking for a better life.
“Since then, many more families have moved here and built their life here.”
Mr Naituki, who is the chairman of Zone 4 where more than 200 people reside, said the discussions over eviction had been going on for years.
According to the 63-year-old, the settlement is divided into seven zones with each having an appointed chairman.
He said so far none of the chairmen have been formally notified to move out.
“From time to time we would hear that they are going to evict us. It was always from what we heard.
“One year they came and numbered our houses saying they were preparing us for eviction, but it never happened.
“Another time we heard we would be given $10,000 to move.
“We hear a lot of things, but nothing is confirmed.”
He said moving out of the settlement would be difficult.
“Many of us have built homes, found work and put our children in school.
“A lot of us moved from villages and from the islands. It would be very hard for us to find another place.”
In the official notice published last Saturday, the Fiji Muslim League called on the residents to seek independent legal advice and to begin removing their personal property and belongings from the land as soon as possible.
“The Trustees of the Fiji Muslim League wish to inform all occupants of the league’s Nabua land that legal eviction proceedings are commencing immediately to remove occupants from the property,” the public notice said.
“We strongly advise all occupants to seek independent legal advice and to begin removing their personal property and belongings from the League’s land as soon as possible.
“As a religious and charitable organisation, the league plans to develop this land and requires the cooperation of the occupants to vacate within the legally stipulated timeframe.”
When contacted yesterday, lawyers for the league Shelvin Singh Lawyers, said they would release more details on the notice today.
