EX-KIAP NETWORK FORUM

Just finished watching the new video 'Breaking Bows and Arrows' on the reconcilliation process following the Bouganville war (approx 1987 to 2001). A well produced piece of film!

My final PNG patrol was on Bouganville in 1985. My observations and reports to the then DC on what was 'just around the corner' fell on deaf ears!
Not many people in Australia realised how dreadful this war was (or even that it was occuring). Lasting well over 10 years with the loss of 20,000 lives (approx 15,000 civilians). As in all wars, it is the innocent that suffer the most.

For any of you old Bouganville kiaps out there it's worth getting the video even if it just to see the ruins. Nothing left of the admin buildings, Steamships at Tovia burnt to the ground, Arawa and Kieta all but gone!
The new and current HQ for Bouganville is now on Buka.

Breaking Bows and Arrows is another video for your collection.
Highly recommended, as there appears to be lessons the younger Bouganvillians are learning from their elders. And that some of the old traditional ways provide solutions that can't be found elsewhere.

Well, at least, I HOPE they learn from it!

You may recall that Bougainville made a lot of noise after Independence about seceding because a). they were different and b). the BC mine was providing one third of the PNG economy and they didn't want to subsidise the rest of PNG because of a). and they were greedy. Initially, the PNG government decided that they would create provincial governments and renamed Bougainville as the North Solomons Province. They hoped this would satisfy them.

After preparing and managing the elections for the Madang Province, I was invited by Neil McNamara to act as the Principal Training Officer for the PNG Electoral Commission. Neil was Deputy Director Policy and Development of the Commission. He was a local government DO in Kundiawa when I first met and worked for him..

My role was to assist Neil draft the various provinces' constitutions and then to travel out and implement the constitutions with the various interim assemblies and train the staff on organising and conducting elections. I was allowed to operate out of Madang rather than POM which was a blessing.

I was offered Neil's position when he retired but told the Commissioner I would only take it on if I could continue to live in Madang or Cairns. Didn't like it so we parted company and I returned to a DO's role in Madang.

Looking at what happened subsequently from the remoteness of Australia I often thought that Bougainville was my only failure, however, looking at events now I guess they were all failures!

Rossco

Steve,
I am also concerned that we do not know enough about the "Crisis" and its enduring impact. I've had 2 trips back to Bougainville (2007, 2009). Dad (John Tierney) was posted to Buka (1970- 1973) and Arawa (1974-1975).

The development in Buka is considerable - later I discovered that many people fled the south for the "relative" safety of Northen B'ville and Buka and for the same reason this was where businesses felt most confident in re-establishing. Changes noted were flying in by jet, the bitumen strip is bitumen and bitumen road from "China Town" to Hutjena. Development on either side of the Buka Passage is considerable. China Town (now known as Buka Town) - has a hospital, police station, various retail outlets and a number of places to stay. There has been a lot of development between the old "China Town" and Hutjenna.

In 2007 we found Arawa and Kieta very depressing (damaged, burnt buildings, little sign of economic activity compared to Buka). The Panguna road was blocked with a sign saying that the area is under the control of the BRA. Our accommodation manager was most concerned when we wanted to go for a walk to have look around. Found that the locals were initially wary of us but once we told then our story they soon warmed to us. They seemed particularly touched that we grew up in B'ville and were returning "home" and were quick to claim us as "pikinini belong Bougainville".

Happy Valley has sadly completely returned to bush. Kieta township (shops etc) is as damaged as Arawa.

As a Clinical Psychologist my attention was drawn to the ongoing psychological impact of the crisis. Once trust was established, conversations about their "crisis" experiences flowed easily. We found my sister's nanny in her village on Teop Is. and in tears she explained that her husband had died during the "crisis" due to the impact on medical services. I met a Catholic Nun who is attempting to run a treatment center for traumatized ex-combatants - some of whom have serious psychological issues and are creating considerable problems in their villages. I am attempting to gain some support for her work through my professional associations and have met with Clement Malau (Sec. PNG Health Dept) and plan to meet with the Burnett Institute in Melb. who are interested in doing some work in B'ville.

So while there is evidence of progress, I share your concern that we do not know enough about the crisis and its ongoing impact.

Dr. David Tierney - pikinini belong Kiap.

G'day David, I was OIC Wasu and Siassi at the time your dad was on Bouganville.

Email me if I can assist in any way with your support for the post-trauma centre.

Cheers, Steve

Hi Dave,

Yeah, me too, I'm wondering what happened? The official line being promulgated by PNG and BAR (Bougainville Autonomous Region) does not stand too much examination, particularly in baseless estimations of casualties. Remember how the Southern Highlands population went from just over 200,000 in the last "accurate" census, to over 600,000 a decade later, when the mob woke up to the fact that no-one was going to query the cooked books. PNG's population is now 6.5 million according to Wikipedia. See how easy it is to cook the books. Check the rate of natural increase pre 1975, and post 1975!

I took up a shareholding (with Peter McNab and 6 Local Shareholders) and Management of a mixed business called ‘Kain Samting Istap Pty. Ltd.’ in 1988 with a Building company in Arawa and Hardware / Fuel Distributorship / Automotive Workshop / Tank Fabrication and Bakery (a K100,000 electric ovens investment completed in late 1990), just in time to be burnt down by the BRA, along with all the other assets, over which insurance coverage had been withdrawn, with return of premiums, when the joint was embargoed by the PNG Government.

Having served in Koroba, Komo, Lake Kopiago, Lumi, Aitape, Kimbe, Kundiawa and Madang followed by a 2 year sojourn in the N.T., I recognized paradise when I saw it. 1989 was great, even though there were some disruptions.

The wheels started coming off in 1989 when Lt. Francis started dropping power poles between Kieta and Panguna. The writing was on the wall when the English engineer who was preparing an airstrip at Panguna was murdered.

Pretty simple stuff eh? Mipela i no laik long Main.

I had a Cessna 185 in those days and used to wander around the place having a look. The impact of the mine disruptions upon the rest of Bougainville was having relatively minor impact, but the wholesale murder of highlands plantation labourers was very noticeable.

What the...?

Apart from Rio Tinto receiving / causing grief, the cocoa plantation sector were the target of numerous attacks. I saw over 50 dead highlands plantation labourers, and a Tolai Plantation Manager. The whiteys were just threatened and encouraged to depart. NOW! They did.

That flourishing cocoa plantation sector is now under new management (that is not to say, new ownership because there has been no title transfers that I know of), and generating a hell of a lot more income for Bougainvilleans that when it was operated by "masta".

It seemed to me that the rest of Bougainville were not particularly worried about what a group of people, whom the rest of Bougainville did not particularly like anyway, were getting up nogud about, until the cocoa plantation cargo cult surfaced. Cargo cult?

I don't think so.

By the way, those Southerners who now generate much of the commercial action at Buka Passage, are still not particularly well liked by their northern cousins and there are rumblings and mutterings going on there too.

Having thown in my two bob, those of us who have been privileged to live in Bougainville know what a terrific mob they are and what is happening (and what happened) is the result of careful and intelligent planning (interrupted now and then by the good old ordinary "pundaun", "bagarap" and corruption). They too experience the lack of ability to provide goods and services to the grass roots but they have a hell of a lot better chance of getting that problem fixed too, than most Provinces of PNG.

I have no doubt that it will not be long before Dr. Sarei gives his maiden speech, as the President of Bougainville (which is what he was in 1976 before the 'provincial government' red herring), to the General Assembly of the U.N.

P.S. On another tack, I recall that, at the time, there was considerable angst amongst the younger generation of Bougainvilleans who complained that they did not seem to be benefiting from the spin offs, except to become wage slaves.

Rio Tinto set up all sorts of businesses, corporations, trusts etc. appointing whomever they wished to Directorships and trustee shareholdings,

That these local big wigs decided that that really meant personal ownership was reflected in the situation with the various businesses, corporations
(such as the Bougainville Development Corporation, which ended up in the hands of three sole shareholders, before it was destroyed)

The complaints of the younger generation were true, but then again, if you were a Director and "Shareholder" of a lucrative little earner, would you hand it over?

Ben Franklin was supposed to have said " Liberty can be defined as two wolves and a sheep sitting down together to decide what to have for lunch!"

He also apparently observed "Freedom is a well armed sheep, prepared to dispute the decision".

To date, the "well armed sheep" are still saying what happens in Bougainville and I have no doubt that they will sort it out themselves.

Gee haven't you guys got anything better to do so early in the new year?

Here's to the red infuriator!

God Bless,


Peter T.

Steve and Peter

Thanks for your responses and appreciate your offers of assistance. I have been attempting to collect my thoughts and collate the bits of information gleaned from conversations while in B’ville and trawling the internet with the aim of communication with relevant agencies. The following is largely based on about 6 hours of conversation with Sister Garazu and Mr. Belleh (Politician – B’ville Aton. Govt). At the risk of repeating what you already know this is what I have gleaned thus far regarding the ongoing psychological impact of the "Crisis".

Background: The literature indicates that between 10,000 and 20,000 people died either as a direct result of the conflict or as a consequence of the impact of the crisis on infrastructure (health/medical services). The impact on infrastructure has been considerable – education, health services, buildings, people fleeing the south & central regions to the north end of B’ville and Buka arguably resulting in pressure on and accelerated development in these areas.

Up to 50,000 people were moved to care centers during the crisis – there is some evidence of abuses being perpetrated in these centers.

A generation (aged 20 to about 45) has had no/limited education either because schools did not operate during the crisis (10 years) and for some time after the cessation of the crisis. A lack of commitment to there own children’s education among some of this group was noted by Mr. Belleh whi is an ex-school teacher.

Psychological trauma: The need for counselling has been recognized via funding to organizations such as Caritas and the Bougainville Trauma Counselling Institute – however, this seems to have been focused on traumatized non-combatants. While this was/is obviously appropriate there has been little focus on ex-combatants.

Sister is running a rehabilitation center with the following aims: (1) the psychological rehabilitation of ex-combatants; (2) the re-conciliation of ex-BRA and ex-Resistance combatants at a village level, and; (3) the surrender of weapons (although there was a formal process of surrendering weapons the suspicion is that there are weapons still in circulation).

It is difficult to determine both the exact number of ex-combatants and the number experiencing psychological problems. However, the following provides some indication of the extent of the problem.
- B’ville has 33 political constituencies
- Mr. Belleh reported that in his constituency the “most notorious” ex-combatants (basically those causing the most trouble) were identified for the purpose of encouraging their treatment participation and this included: 82 ex-commanders, 150 rank and file ex-combatants, families of ex combatants and some village elders

Sister and Mr. Belleh reported the following.
- a high prevalence of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and substance abuse (alcohol, jungle juice and marijuana) among ex-combatants
- that the ex-combatants take on little responsibility (relationship, children, village)
- that the ex-combatants pressure their wives to make money so that they can buy alcohol (this results in the women leaving early to go to market and coming home after market – resulting in children being left alone) – in response to this some women have organized a roster system where some go to the market while some stay at home to care for the children
- domestic violence, sexual abuse of women and children (sex is used as a coping mechanism)*
- non- sexual violence and threatened violence (sometimes with weapons)
- little investment in the education of their children
- collectively the above undermines the basic fabric of village life. Mr. Belleh is concerned about the ongoing consequences of trauma among his constituency and feels that this is acting as a barrier to progress.
*(on a previous trip to Bougainville (2007) I viewed the court proceedings list and was surprised at the number of men charged with sexual offences).

I am unsure of how typical Mr. Belleh’s constituency is in relation to the extent of psychological trauma. And I doubt that the full extent of the problem could be determined by simply multiplying the above numbers by the 33 constituencies. However, my experience with traumatized veterans (Korea, Vietnam and Timor) is that in addition to the ones that are obviously effected (which were the ones identified in Mr. Belleh’s constituency) there are many who suffer in silence.

Finally, I do not want to leave the reader with the impression that I think Bougainville is a "basket case". There are many good things happening and on my last trip I felt it safe enough to take my 11 yr. old son. However, I feel that there is much of the Bougainville "Crisis" story to be told and that there are specific issues that need to be addressed.

Dr. David Tierney

Hi All,


Shades of my prediction made in a post on this website earlier this month.

From The National Monday 18th January 2010.....

"B’ville will be independent, says Tanis

Source:
By ALOYSIUS LAUKAI

AUTONOMOUS Bougainville Government president James Tanis is confident Bougainville will break away from PNG and become independent.

With Bougainville facing an election year, the man who was thrown in the deep end due to the death of Joseph Kabui was forthright about his views on independence for the island.

Mr Tanis was sharing his views with the people of Anganai village outside Kieta at the reconciliation ceremony of Chris Uma and Lawrence Mutu last Friday.

He said Bougainville would become an independent nation after the referendum was held.

Mr Tanis said he was confident the people of Bougainville would vote “yes” when the time came.

Under the law, even if the majority decide to secede from PNG, the PNG Parliament will have the final say on whether Bougainville stays part a of PNG or becomes a nation in its own right.

Mr Tanis also appealed to all Bougainvilleans to make Bougainville gun-free before the vote is taken.

He said he does not want the people to be forced to vote but be free to vote whichever way.

Mr Tanis said the reason he visits other provinces in PNG is to raise awareness on independence for Bougainville so there would not be any questions asked or doubts raised when Bougainvilleans actually decide to be on their own.

Mr Tanis also said that Bougainville needed to increase its economic base and human resources to prepare for this.

He said the draw- down of powers and functions, now underway in an arrangement with the National Government, will be fully realised with a sound economic base and good workforce.

Mr Tanis is currently visiting some constituencies in Central and South Bougainville.

He said he would be attending reconciliation ceremonies and also visiting the Kongara constituency.

Mr Tanis started at Anganai village last Friday and at the weekend, travelled to Siwai to attend another reconciliation ceremony at Duisei village, imparting the same message for independence.

He will also attend a major reconciliation ceremony in Arawa.
The Arawa ceremony is for the people of the four towns of Arawa, Loloho, Kieta and Toniva.

Reconciliation ceremonies are also planned for Wakunai and Koromira in the Kokoda Constituency.

Mr Tanis will spend about a week in the Kongara Constituency, considered the most rugged and difficult in the mountains of Central Bougainville."

Mr. Tanis's policy would be that of all prospective contenders, and nearly everyone else in the Autonomous Region.

I have no doubt that it will happen, and that the Panguna mine will be resurrected shortly thereafter,

God Bless,

Peter T.