BREAKING ARROWS, MENDING HEARTS – RESTORING PEACE IN SIWAI

The Nukui Motunai and Kehno Kohiikai sub-clans chewing betelnut and exchanging handshakes to symbolise peace and reconciliation.

War cries echoed through the cocoa shed of Panakei in Siwai District recently as more than 800 people gathered to witness a moving ceremony between two sub-clans from the Kopi and Motuna Huyona wards in Siwai.
After two decades of hatred, bitterness and anger, the Nukui Motunai and Kehno Kohiikai sub-clans for the first time engaged each other peacefully, in an emotional gathering at which they shook hands, hugged each other, shed tears and shared buai (betelnut).

In the Siwai society of Bougainville, just like many societies in Papua New Guinea, conflict is a common part of life.

Before colonisation, the Siwai society was governed by clan leadership and power. The laws that existed over the land were held supreme and observed by all. Consequently, the society was generally peaceful, with minimal reckless violence.

However, there was a breakdown of law and order as the Bougainville break-away took place and the Panguna crisis developed. In many situations, this led to conflict and chaos.

The Panguna Peace Building Strategy seeks to rectify this. It is a peace building initiative developed by the Autonomous Bougainville Government in 2011 to help communities rise above the factionalism, division and suspicions, and work towards developing mutual trust.
The strategy uses traditional systems for mediation. When there is violence, the chief analyses the situation to see who is in the wrong. They then gather the disputed parties to make peace with each other.

The beginning of the peace process is called Nomaingu or bel kol. This is a gesture of promise and peace building through the form of war cries, handshakes and chewing of betelnut. Nomaingu symbolises that a perpetrator and a victim will work towards healing the wounds and division.

It is the first step of reconciliation and mediation. It heralds a new beginning for these local Siwai communities who are keen to reconcile their differences and move forward into a bright and peaceful future.

In this instance, the Nukui Motunai clan were implicated in the kidnapping and death of the former Member of the National Parliament for South Bougainville, Anthony Anugu, during the Bougainville conflict. Anthony’s death was a contributing factor to the Siwai Crisis.

The Siwai Crisis was one of the major local civil wars during the 10 year Bougainville conflict, during which prominent leaders from Siwai were apprehended, allegedly tortured and killed in Panguna for suspected treason. They included Mr Anugu; the former Deputy Administrator, Benjamin Kirape; a private accountant, Joe Rangai; and two youth leaders, Michael Pareu and Joe Mo’otung—all alleged to have been killed at Panguna in 1990.

“This reconciliation ceremony is important, as it paves the way for the reconciliation and unification of people from Siwai, Panguna, Kieta and Manetai and the whole Bougainville. It also paves the way for the retrieval and repatriation of the remains of the deceased,” said Dr Naihuwo Ahai, Adviser for the Panguna Peace Building Strategy from Siwai.

“It has taken over twenty years for us to solve the mystery of my husband’s disappearance. But most importantly, it is comforting for me and my nine children who are happy that the partnership is setting a new horizon for us as we forgive and forget the past and work towards retrieving my husband’s remains,” said Catherine, wife of the late Anthony Anugu.

The Nomaingu is a result of a partnership between the Australian Government and Autonomous Bougainville Government, through SPSN, and the clan chiefs who initiated the customary mediation processes to unite conflicting parties. It is part of the Panguna Peace Building Strategy.

The ceremony was followed by the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding by the Autonomous Bougainville Government to establish the Siwai District Peace and Security Committee.

The Member of National Parliament for Regional Bougainville, Joe Lera, made time to attend the ceremony, and thanked development partners and the Australian Government through SPSN for the support and strategic directions provided to the District Siwai District Peace and Security Committee and Autonomous Bougainville Government.

“The peace process lies in our traditional customs and it is important that we own it, unite and take responsibility towards restoring peace; this is the only way towards everlasting peace and development in Bougainville,” said Mr Lera.

Mr Lera presented PGK50,000 towards the establishment of the Siwai District Siwai District Peace and Security Committee. The funding support is part of PGK200,000 funding support provided to the implementation of the Panguna Peace Building Strategy and the three remaining stages of the Siwai Crisis Mediation Plan.