Lin v Taptumol [1995] VUICB 1; Land Case 04 of 1992 (14 July 1995)

MAGISTRATES KOT
BLONG RIPABLIK BLONG VANUATU
SITDAON LONG LUGANVILLE

LAND DISPIUT No 4/92

PRESIDENT BLONG KOT: Magistrate Rita Bill Naviti
ISLAND KOT JASTIS: Tim Hu Trial blong Hog Harbourg
Petro Rite blong Port Olry
Moli Atevari blong Serte
ISLAND KOT CLERK: Eileen Rose Aru

FIRST PART

BITWIN:

LOYROR LIN
Spokesman TOM SIRO SIRO
Long wan saed,

MO:

FAMILY TAPTUMOL
Spokesman LOUIS VATU
Long nara saed,

FROM GRAON BLONG SEVUA/NAMBAUK/TAMBOTAL

SEKON PART

BITWIN:

FAMILY TURA
Long wan saed,

MO:

FAMILY TAPTUMOL
Present: Joseph ANDRE
Pierre VATU
Spokseman LOUIS VATU
Long nara saed,

FROM GRAON BLONG BELERU/BELLEMOLI

Hemia hemi wan difficult case we 4 graon oli ovalapem olgeta. Taem Clerk hemi applaem olgeta prosida blong registerem claim long island kot followem informations we hemi receivim oli lidim hem blong askem Kot ia blong dil wetem tufalla cases same time.

PART ONE

SEVUA/TAMBOTAL – LOYROR LIN mo FAMLE TAPTUMOL

Loyror hemi claim graon we hemi collem Sevua, we hemi talem boundaries blong hemi ron i go olsem:

1^st: start long bridge blong Sarakata, followem river i go antap kasem ples we Tafwakar river i joint wetem Sarakata we Loyror hemi collem Aivok riva.'

Not: Aivok river

Saot: Start long smol crik, bitwin Dinh Shipping mo Melcoffee Saw mill i go antap followem hil i go long taetol 463 long wan stampa bambou, mo followem hil i go long Taetol 494 i go long left said cona blong taetol 580 followem raet saed boundari blong taetol 3488, ron behind long raet saed boundary blong taetol 3490, i go long cona blong taetol 3489, pass behind long taetol 3492, pass bitwin taetol 3491 followem riva i go back kasem Aivok riva.

Editor's Note: Refer to attached PDF for Map 1:- Claim blong Lovror/SEVUA

Loyror hemi claim followem Josephine Vorembo, we hemi talem se woman ia hemi adoptem hem long kastom. Long written application blong hem long Kot, (document L.1) long fael, hemi talem se Josephine Vorembo, hemi pikinini blong Molsus we hemi man Sevua, mo Josephine i nomo gat family blong hemi laef tedei. Hemi go head blong talem se defendant saed oli collem Josephine sista, but hemia laen momo oli no blad blong graon. Hemi talem se 3 fala brata long famili Taptumol oli no pem ol mama blong olgeta so olgeta oli no gat raet long graon blong Molsus hemi chief blong Sevua. Loyror hemi talem se long saed blong adoption blong hem oli mekem followem kastom: "Loyror hemi bon 6 days i pass Josephine Vorambo, hemi followem Kastom, hemi tekem 1 yan banana tree, hemi go long house blong parents blong Loyror, (Veantmol mo Romra) hemi givim 20 pounds long tufalla, hemi planem banana mo hemi putum nem ia Loyror long hem" Mo tekem out Loyror long mama blong hem, kasem taem Loyror hemi maret. Hemi talem se Josephine, hemi showem boundary mark long hem.

Loyror hemi ansaram olgeta kwestens we defendant i putum long hem calmly mo mi look olsem hemi stap talem stret samting we i stap long think think blong Josephine taem hemi adoptem hem.

Loyror hemi presentem wetem application blong hem:

1 document we hemi entaetel "The New Union of Chiefs" we hemi readim out main think blong Josephine taem hemi adoptem Loyror, we oli mekem long 1971. Think think se Josephine hemi adoptem Loyror from Graon Sevua.

Mo too 1 adoption orda blong Loyror we Josephine hemi mekem long Kot long Santo long 1 November 1982, we i confirmem bakeken think think blong Josephine taem hemi adoptem Loyror.

Kwesten we mi mas ansarem se, followem kastom Josephine Varambo, hemi gat some birth raet or no gat long graon ia Tambotal/Nambauk/Sevua.

Long saed ia Loyror hemi talem se kastom owna blong Seva hemi Molsus. Molsus now papa blong Josephine so Josephine hemi gat birth raet long graon ia Sevua.

Hemi talem too se Josephine hemi marret first taem long Varnatamol, mo oli pem hem long Andre Netitao from taem ia hemi bin stap wetem Andre Netitao mo famili blong hem. Afta hemi maretem Leo blong Bankas, from Varnatamol hemi dead. Totovon hemi pulum aot Josephine long Leo. Andre hemi blong Tambotal, hemi laen blong Josephine nomo, be i no blood laen blong Josephine, so Andre i no save claim raet blong Josephine. Hemi talem se hemi save olgeta defendants oli collem Molsus se "ancle" blong olgeta, be hemi laen nomo i no stret famili.

Hemi true se Josephine hemi maret 3 times, but from we hemi las laen blong Molsus, so Josephine i must karem back graon blong papa blong hem.

Long defense blong olgeta famili Taptumol oli talem se Josephine hemi no save tekem raet blong Molsus from tufalla reason ia:

1. Josephine hemi no stret pikinini blong Molsus

2. Josephine hemi maret 3 times finis.

3. Loyror hemi no adoptem from graon blong Sevua. Mo graon we oli talem Sevua, hemi no wan land but wan station nomo insaed long tambotal, now oli presentem map blong olgeta, we mi putum antap long map 1.

Editor's Note: Refer to PDF attached for mentioned map.

Taptumol i talem long written defense blong hem (doc. V1) long histori long hem se Molsus hemi pikinini blong Taurerua, man tambotal. Taurerua hemi maretem Vosangai, mo hemi karem Molsus mo brother blong hem Moltailang. Taurerua hemi ded Vosangai hemi go maretem Molmatak we hemi big chif blong Bellerue, mo tufalla i bonem Votaraia. Votaraia hemi step-sister blong Molsus mo Moltailang Votaraia hemi go maretem big chif blong Tambotal we hemi Taptumol. Mo Taptumol now hemi karem Pierre Vatu, Andre Netitao mo Ancelo, we oli defendants long case ia. Molsus hemi maretem Votove we hemi woman Damdaru be woman ia Votove hemi gat bel finis, now hemi bornem Josephine Vorombo. So followem histori oli talem se Josephine hemi no blad blong Molsus.

Josephine hemi maret first taem long Varnatamol. Varnatamol i pem Josephine long Andre Netitao. Second man blong Josephine, taem Varnatamol hemi ded hemi Leon Pehilus. Leon hemi pem back mane blong Varnatamol. After Torovon hemi pulumaot Josephine long Leo.

So long way ia too Josephine hemi lusum raet blong hem finis. From long Kastom taem oli pem woman, woman hemi lusum every raet blong hem.

Mo long way we Andre i holem rope blong pig, blong marret blong Josephine, hemi showem se Andre hemi laen blong Josephine.

Long saed blong adoption, Taptumol oli talem se oli no save nothing se Josephine hemi adoptem Loyror, mo too olgeta oli no save acceptem adoption blong wan pikinini we hemi gat 12 years finis. But oli save se Josephine hemi adoptem Sardon, fas born brata blong Loyror, be hemi ded.

Olgeta defendant oli presentem long Kot wan document we hemi entaetol Kastom ona blong graon we olgeta chif oli givim out long 25 August 1987. Oli decide se famili Taptumol hemi ona blong graon Sevua, we taetol 3489, 3491, 3492 mo 3493 oli stap long hem, hemia long Nambauk village.

Oli talem too se insaed long tambotal i gat graon ia: SEVUA, BELNATJA, LAKURUTSA MO DILLA.

Long wan kwestin blong Plaintiff, defendant hemi replae se bifo Moltures we hemi sem man ia Taptumol hemi go long wan lafete long Fanafo, mo hemi stilim wan woman, nem blong hem Vobel mo ran away i go long South Santo. Olgeta man blong chief Molsakel blong Fanafo, oli go blong tekem back Vobel, but oli no tekem hem. Instead oli sutum wan man blong chif Molsus blong Tambotal. Taem Taptumol hemi kam back wetem Vobel long Tambotal mo faenem out se oli sutum wan man blong Molsus hemi givim first bon pikinini ia Andre long hem. Man we oli sutum nem blong hem Netitao, so oli putum nem blong Andre Netitao we hemi papa blong Joseph Andre we hemi present long Kot today.

Followem histori ia oli talem se oli no gat blood laen nomo bae oli gat kastom laen too followem Netitao.

Defense hemi presentem wan witness, Jean Baptiste Andkar, hemi talem se hemi stap laef long Nambauk long taem. Hemi witnessim wantaem forma president blong Repablik blong Vanuatu. Georges Sokomanu hemi putum foundation stone blong area council haos wetem Andre Joseph.

Taem hemi ansarem kwesten blong plaintiff, hemi talem se i tru bifo hemi stap long saed blong Josephine we hemi againstem Joseph, but long taem ia hemi no save stret se Josephine i no pikinini blong Molsus, se long meeting ia now hemi jast save stret histori blong Josephine se hemi no stret pikinini blong Molsus.

Namba two witness blong defense hemi Merei Farel, hemi talem se long 1960, hem nao first man hemi tekem permission blong chif Netitao Andre blong stap long Nambauk.

Taem hemi ansarem wan kwesten blong Plaintiff hemi talem se hemi save se Josephine nao hemi putum Presbyterian church long Nambauk. Hemia hemi from se olgeta helders blong Presbyterian church oli askem Joseph blong putum church, be Joseph hemi no letem olgeta. Mekem oli go look Josephine, mo Josephine hemi agri.

Long saed blong adoption Merei Farel hemi talem se i save se oli adoptem Sardon be i no Loyror.

Think think blong Kot:

Taem mi stap harem case ia mi look se mi gat 3 kwestens blong ansarem.

1. Josephine sapos hemi no stret pikinini blong Molsus bambae hemi still gat raet?

Olgeta kastom advisa blong mi oli talem se long kastom taem man hemi pem woman we i gat bel finis i mean se hemi pem aot pikinini too we istap long bel blong mama yet. Sapos pikinini i bon finis bambae man i save pem pikinini or livim pikinini wetem family blong woman. But sapos hemi tekem wetem mama blong hem, then pikinini hemi bekam pikinini blong man ia. So pikinini ia hemi gat raet long olgeta samting blong man ia.

Long case ia Josephine hemi gat some raet blong Molsus. But narasaed blong hem Josephine hem wan woman we oli pem hem 3 times finis. Hemia bambae hemi stap long Kot hemi decide sapos hemi lusum every raet finis.

2. Adoption blong Loyror i followem kastom or no?

Olgeta advisa blong mi oli talem se followem kastom adoption ia hemi stret. Mo even sapos Josephine hemi adoptem Sardon, olsem defendants oli talem, mo Sardon i ded. Hemi stret nomo blong Loyror i tekem ples blong hem.

3. Wanem nao relationship bitwin family Taptumol mo Josephine? Taem Andre Neritao hemi holem rope blong pig blong Josephine taem hemi marret.

Olgeta kastom advaesa blong mi oli talem se wan girl hemi maret stret brata blong hem, ino save holem rope blong pig blong hem. But laen nomo, but oli recognaesem se Andre hemi laen blong Josephine Vorombo, mo hemi stret nomo blong holem rope blong Pig.

Long saed blong Pierre Vatu hemi family blad laen tru long Votaraia, we hemi sister blong Molsus. Vosangai hemi stret mama blong Molsus mo Votaraia. Vosangai hemi bornem Molsus long Taurerua blong Tambotal mo hemi bornem Votaraia long Molmatak.

Long saed blong relationship blong Generation blong Josephine, Kot hemi look olsem Josephine tufalla i stap tugeta oltaem mo kot i look too se Joseph Andre hemi considerem se Josephine i gat some raet. Long way we tufalla witness blong Taptumol oli toktok, mi look olsem taem Josephine i laef, i gat confusion i stap long saed blong kastom owna blong Nambauk Sevua. Olgeta man we oli stap oli no really sure se who nao hemi kastom owna. Taem oli go long wan road, i fass oli go long narafalla.

Kot i look se Josephine hemi gat some raets long Sevua. But digri blong raet blong hem i drop plante long way we hemi maret mo too i gat doubt long blad blong hem. I mekem se Josephine hemi gat smol raet long Sevua, bigfala raet i stap nao long family Taptumol.

Smol raet blong Josephine i must go long Loyror followem think think blong Josephine taem hemi adoptem Loyror. Kot i wandem blong leavim part ia long Taptumol famili blong givim long Loyror, but mi fraet se bambae i gat problem long hem so bambae mi decide.

Sevua we olgeta chief oli sidaon from long 25 August 1987 hemi wan graon we i karem taetol 3489, 3491, 3492, mo 3493. Mi been faenem out se Loyror hemi stap work finis long wan long olgeta taetol.

Kot i orda i go olsem:

Disputed area long map1:

Taetol 3492 long Sevua i go long Loyror Lin, followem think think blong Josephine Vorombo

Ful dispiuted area without 3492 i go long famili Taptumol

Bambae i no gat cost awarded long ples ia

Tugeta parties i gat raet blong mekem apil i go long Supreme Kot insaed long 30 days start long today.

Saen: Island Kot Jastis:	TIM HU TIAL
	PETRO RITE
	MOLI ATEVARI
PRESIDENT BLONG KOT MAGISTRATE R B NAVITI

SEKON PART

BELIMOLI/BELERU – FAMILI TURA MO FAMILY TAPTUMOL

Since we Tura hemi pem fee blong registerem dispiut blong hem, hemia long 29 May 1980, hemi no putum map blong dispiut blong hem, blong allowem everyone blong identifaem boundaries blong Dispiut blong hem. I no gat plan or map blong dispiut blong hem kasem long 16 June 1995, hemia wan wik bifor sitting.

Problem ia, i mekem se Taptumol hemi komen se hemi no agry wetem sitting ia, from hemi never save which boundaries. Tura hemi dispiutim, mekem se blong sekiurim interest blong hem, hemi must pem 90,000Vt blong 3 kastom graon, we hemi save long eria ia instead blong 30,000 Vt normal fee blong wan specific kastom graon we Tura i claim. Hemi apply long Kot blong no sidaon mo decide blong Tura hemi must pem full fee blong 3 graon. From se hemi look se last map blong Tura hemi coverem up 3 graon be i no wan nomo olsem Tura hemi talem. Mo too long saed blong history blong hem, hemi submittim histori blong 3 falla graon, start long Nambauk, Sevua go kasem long solwota.

Tura hemi talem se hem wetem forma Clerk blong Island Kot (Sera Atinting) tufalla oli identifaem boundaries blong hem long wan bigfalla map long wol long offis blong hem, but i no gat map long fael.

From we clerk hemi markem long big map long wol, Tura hemi no think se hemi need blong forwardem 1 map bakaken. Mo long think think blong hem Kot i must go head. Mo hemi no save pem narafalla fee bakaken.

Clerk Ellen Rose Aru, hemi confirm se hemi no aware long any map blong dispiut blong Tura other than hemia we hemi submittim long 16 June 1995.

President blong Island Kot hemi decide i go olsem:

1. Hemi duti blong Plaintiff, blong case ia Tura blong preparem gud case blog hem. Clerk hemi stap blong receivim olgeta documents blong claim nomo, mo prosesem i go long Kot. Hemi no duti blong Clerk blong preparem map blong dispiut blong wan wan claimants.

So Kot hemi go head wetem sitting blong hem, mo desaedem fee behaen.

Tura hemi claim followem mama blong hem Voeuve Marie, hemi talem se Marie Veouve hemi last laen blong Bellimole. Veouve Marie hemi girl blong Tura, Tura hemi pikinini blong Rutsa mo Votarvunie.

Graon blong Rutsa mo Tura hemi Bellimole, we hemi putum long map 4.

Editor's Note: Refer to attached PDF for mentioned Map 4.

Famili Taptumol oli defendem interest blong olgeta long dispiut ia mo oli prodiusim map 5

Oli claim se i no gat 1 kastom graon nom olsem Tura i talem, but 3 graon

1. Tambotal
2. Bellerue
3. Bellemol

Mo se Marie hemi marret finis i go long Pentecost, hemi nomo gat raet long any land long area ia. Taptumol hemi gat kastom raet followem pig killing wetem owna blong ples ia.

Editor's Note: Refer to attached PDF for map 5

General map we bambae hemi work long hem, map 6

Editor's Note: Refer to PDF attached for map 6.

Blong provum se graon ia i blong Marie Veouve hemi histori ia:

Se bifo Rutsa mo Votarvuni tufalla i stap liv long Mambe Kalarue long map mark "B". Tura i born long Mamba Kalaru. Tufalla i move around long Sasawa, Tabui-Van, Bellimol, Bellimol-Aul, Natun Sasawa, Bellebut, Lambue, Turmelea mo Tabui-Vitua mo lastly Tabui-Van. Hemi talem se boundaries blong Bellimole-Aul nao hemi seperatem Bellimol-Aul mo Turboia village blong Chief Molmatak, bubu blong Vatu Pierre; but taem blong killim, pig blong namangi oli mekem long saed blong Bellimol-aul. Then i gat rao bitwin Molmatak, Tarkol mo Tura, from se pig blong Tura mo Tarko i stap kakae karen blong olgeta people blong Molmatak.

Molmatak hemi tekem olgeta man blong hem oli move i go long bush. Tarkol mo Tura wetem man blong tufalla, oli move i go down long Natun-Sasawa. Wan day papa blong Pierre Vatu, hemi sutum woman blong Tura Karae Davui, then from trabol ia Tura hemi putum tabu long olgeta road blong go long Solwota mekem olgeta man blong Motures oli no save go down long Solwota. So blong openem road, Moltures hemi givim girl blong hem Votaresta i go long Tura. Votaresa hemi sista blong Pierre Vatu. Then Tura mo famili blong hem oli go long Bellebut. Marie Veouve hemi born long bellembut.

Tura hemi talem se Taputmol hemi no save ownem graon long area ia, from Taptumol hemi wan pikinini blong namarai, se Bovele mo Vosara, tufalla i faenem Taptumol long hol blong Stone i stap titi long stone, mo i stap crae Nao. Bovele mo Vosara tufalla i tekem hem mo lookaotem hem. Pruve blong hem se Pierre Vatu oli no kakae namarai. Taptumol hemi maretem Votaria, girl blong Molmatak, mo second woman blong hem Vobel blong Sark-Bay.

Taptumol hemi receivem nem blong Moltures long olgeta ancle blong hem nomo, taem ia Taptumol mo Votaraia tufalla i ronwe i go stap long Saot from olgeta man blong Mosakel oli wandem killim Taptumol from woman blong Molsakel we Taputmol i stillim long wan danis long Fanafo. Olgeta pikinini blong Taptumol Moltures:

Wetem Vobel: Andre Netitao
Wetem Votaraia: Votaretsa, Pauk Maabi, Pierre mo Angelo

Long saed blong map blong hem, Tura hemi claim se i gat:

Start long navele blong solwota long river wambu pulum stret laen go long Not Ist long Tila Baul long Sarakata riva Start long Tila Baul, followem riva i go Saot Ist kasem solwota. Followem sanbis i go back long saot kasem wan breadfruit we i stap bitwin store blong Sima mo haos blong Nafui.
Start long Breadfrut pulum streat laen i go antap mo behaen long oldfala Airport mo stop long raet saed cona blong Airport.
Start long cona blong Airport pulum stret laen i go long saot, sperem riva wambu, long Patun Turi mo followem riva i go long Not kasem Navele blong solwota bakeken. Insaed long boundaries ia i gat: Taetol 2345 mo 617 – Bellemol-Aul, 814 Natun Sasawa, 852, 777, 962 Tabui-Van, 869, 2584, 1510 Turmelia 3219 Mambe Kalaru mo 463.

Tura hemi talem se i no gat bellerue, i gat Bellimole nomo. Bellerue hemi wan stone. Hemi claim se olgeta pikinini blong Taptumol oli no pem olgeta woman blong olgeta. So olgeta pikinini blong olgeta oli must go back long land blong mama blong olgeta.

Tura hemi anserem olgeta kwestin se:

- Hemi save se Varvar ino bladlaen blong hem

- Hemi save wan chif nem blong hemi Kamewa, hemi blong Belta,

- Pio hemi been stap laef wetem Tura, from mama blong hem (Pio) hemi ded

- Tarkol hemi stap killim pig wetem Tura.

Tura hemi presentem namba 1 witness blong hem, Uri Bernard we hemi papa blong Etienne Tura, husband blong Marie Veouve.

Hemi talem se hemi blong Pentecost, hemi kam long Santo olsem wan mission worka long 1929. Hemi se hemi kam wetem pere Andre, we hemi namba 3 pere we i kam lukaotem St Michel. Pere Andre i sendem hem blong go tekem olgeta man bush i kam daon long school long St Michel. Hemi go lukim chif Marie Madeleine, wan woman chif we hemi girl blong chif Molmatak, antap long bush mo hemi go luk Tarkol mo Tura Karai Davui long ples blong fufalla. Mo long taem ia oli buildim 2 haos, wan blong olman Tambotal mo wan blong olman Bellembut. Hemi se long taem ia Pierre Vatu, Jean Ancelo, Frank Manque oli smol yet. Hemi talem se first woman blong Tura Vonalae, witness i berem hem long "olgalla" beri graon. Mo second woman Touya, oli berem hem long Natun Sasawa, mo witness yet hemi berem Tura Karai Davui long "olfalla" beri graon. Varnatamol boy blong Tura hemi soem olgeta boundaries mark long Uri. Mark ia i seperetem Turboia mo Bellimol-aul. Mo Varnatamol hemi givim raet long Uri blong defendem olgeta land raet blong olgeta bubu blong Tura.

Taem hemi ansarem olgeta kwestin, hemi talem se:

- Marie Madeleine hemi gat name ia Lissie too. Hemi big chif long ples blong papa blong hem Molmatak, big chif blong Turboia we i boundary wetem Bellemoli-Hemi harem se Lissi hemi blong wan village long Bellerue, be hemi think se Bellerue I kavremap Turboia-Hemi pem woman blong hem Marie, long chif Lissie. Molmatak hemi bubu blong Vatu Pierre.

- Olgeta chif blong Tambotal, Bellembut mo Natun Sasawa oli killim pig wan ples blong mekem oli kam brata long kastom.

- I gat wan woman i kam blong mekem pis.

- Varvar hemi stap hem wan now Tura i tekem i go stap wetem hem blong tufalla i killim pig long village blong Tura. – Marie Veouve hemi laen blong Pio be ino blad laen.

- Ol waetman oli ronem ol man Belvos nomo

- Hemi no been save se Marie Veouve waef blong hem, i shud maret long Tambotal

- Hemi save se i gat wan chif blong mango bifo.

Witnes ia hemi wan gud witness, we hemi tok stret. Hemi no fraet mo hemi relaxe nomo taem hemi ansa long olgeta kwesten.

Namba 2 witness Tom Siro Siro

Hemi talem se hemi sapotem claim blong Tura. Andimele big chif blong Nambel i showem boundary blong Bellimol long hem. Boundari we hemi save i stret wetem map blong Tura. Long saed blong Sarakata Riva hemi go stret long 2 stones – Tila Baul mo Batunvota. Turboia hemi same graon long Bellerue. Bellimol – Aul hemi different. Taem hemi ansa long kwesten hemi talem se:

- Hemi blong Narango, hemi go lo eria blong Bellerue 25 ya a pass