By Betty Wakia
It was on a bright sunny day, Mekeme was at school reading a book. She goes to Buk Bilong Pikinini School at the hillside of the ATS. She was sitting at the veranda of the school reading, when she saw the big yellow excavator came running down the hill towards her house. They were escort by two Police car telling people to remove their homes within 21 days.
Big yellow excavator destroys all the trees standing next to Mekeme’s house. It went straight to her neighbour’s house and destroys all their food gardens and banana trees. Her parents where shock and didn’t know what to do.
People ran from all directions to see what was going on. Mekeme throw her book aside and ran straight down the hill to her house. She saw her parents standing there feeling helpless and worried. Mekeme went into the house and start packing up her reading books and Buk Bilong Pikinini shirt which she used to wear them to school. Her parents went to the house and start removing their belongings. They put them in a small damp truck ready to send them off to their relatives. Mekeme start calling some of the boys she knew from the ATS community to help her parents to remove the frames and post of the house. It takes another two days to remove the roof and the wall of the house and ready to shift them to their cousin’s place at 8 mile.
Mekeme then went to her neighbour’s house to help them remove their belongings. She then invites her boys to help remove their roof and the wall. Mekeme’s neighbours were very happy with her.
After a week, they had finally removed everything and sadly said goodbye to their home for 20 years.
*I have interview with some of the kids who goes to Buk Bilong Pikinini School at ATS hillside. This is one of their stories.
Note: Name has been change.
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