By Eoin Blackwell, AAP Papua New Guinea Correspondent
Landowners in Papua New Guinea are planning to stage a
protest on Manus Island amid reports asylum seekers will land at an
Australian government facility as early as next next week.
The groups are protesting because they say they have been locked out of security contracts for the facility.
Security firm G4S has been hired to provide security for a temporary asylum seeker facility on Lombrum Naval Base on Manus island.
Local MP Ronnie Knight said he had been told to expect asylum seeker arrivals "anytime after the end of this week" following discussions with the Australian officials on Tuesday.
"They have asked me to observe the protest.
"But at the end of the day it's the Australian government talking to the PNG government about using state land."
Manus Governor Charlie Benjamin also said he had been told to expect asylum seeker arrivals after the end of this week.
"I am aware of that," he said.
However, Mr Benjamin said he was unaware of the planned protests as he was in PNG's capital, Port Moresby.
Mary Handen, a spokeswoman for one of the landowner groups who want contracts for securing the site, as well as for constructing a permanent facility at a later date, confirmed a protest would go ahead.
"We want to be given major service contracts, we want to sustain ourselves and build our capacity," she said.
"People are organising themselves at the moment," Ms Handen said Manus locals had reported five or six planes laden with supplies - such as food - had flown in to Manus this week.
Australian High Commissioner Ian Kemish met Manus governor Charlie Benjamin and Manus officials last week to lay out Australia's plans for aid to the infrastructure-poor island.
Australia has already committed $8 million in aid to Manus, and plans to reinvigorate schools and some aid posts.
There will also be a joint PNG and Australian government task force to assess the need for further projects.
Landowner groups initially demanded millions in compensation, arguing they had been short-changed by the Howard government when Lombrum hosted an asylum facility from 2001 to 2004.
Mr Kemish said during a recent visit that Australia could not hand cash to groups in exchange for setting up the site.
Landowners are an unpredictable wild card in PNG and have the ability to delay major projects.
A group of Port Moresby based landowners last week announced in the local press they would block last Saturday's visit by Prince Charles unless the government paid an outstanding bill for land on which an airport is built.
That protest did not eventuate.
The groups are protesting because they say they have been locked out of security contracts for the facility.
Security firm G4S has been hired to provide security for a temporary asylum seeker facility on Lombrum Naval Base on Manus island.
Local MP Ronnie Knight said he had been told to expect asylum seeker arrivals "anytime after the end of this week" following discussions with the Australian officials on Tuesday.
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"Landowners are planning to protest this Friday," he told AAP."They have asked me to observe the protest.
"But at the end of the day it's the Australian government talking to the PNG government about using state land."
Manus Governor Charlie Benjamin also said he had been told to expect asylum seeker arrivals after the end of this week.
"I am aware of that," he said.
However, Mr Benjamin said he was unaware of the planned protests as he was in PNG's capital, Port Moresby.
Mary Handen, a spokeswoman for one of the landowner groups who want contracts for securing the site, as well as for constructing a permanent facility at a later date, confirmed a protest would go ahead.
"We want to be given major service contracts, we want to sustain ourselves and build our capacity," she said.
"People are organising themselves at the moment," Ms Handen said Manus locals had reported five or six planes laden with supplies - such as food - had flown in to Manus this week.
Australian High Commissioner Ian Kemish met Manus governor Charlie Benjamin and Manus officials last week to lay out Australia's plans for aid to the infrastructure-poor island.
Australia has already committed $8 million in aid to Manus, and plans to reinvigorate schools and some aid posts.
There will also be a joint PNG and Australian government task force to assess the need for further projects.
Landowner groups initially demanded millions in compensation, arguing they had been short-changed by the Howard government when Lombrum hosted an asylum facility from 2001 to 2004.
Mr Kemish said during a recent visit that Australia could not hand cash to groups in exchange for setting up the site.
Landowners are an unpredictable wild card in PNG and have the ability to delay major projects.
A group of Port Moresby based landowners last week announced in the local press they would block last Saturday's visit by Prince Charles unless the government paid an outstanding bill for land on which an airport is built.
That protest did not eventuate.
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