Peter Tsiamalili
Encyclopedia
Peter Sobby Tsiamalili was the Papua New Guinea
n civil servant who served as the first chief administrator of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville (ABG) following successful elections in June 2005. Tsiamalili also served as a diplomat
and ambassador
representing Papua New Guinea
abroad in Fiji
and Belgium
.
during the 1960s. He studied to become a government officer, which is commonly called a "kiap
" by Papuans.
of the North Solomons Province, which is now known as the Autonomous Region of Bougainville. Tsiamalili served as provincial secretary under the government of then North Solomons Province Premier Joseph Kabui
. He remained secretary until the outbreak of the nine-year long Bougainville civil war beginning in 1989. The North Solomons (Bougainville) provincial government was dismissed at the beginning of the conflict, making Tsiamalili the last provincial secretary and Kabui the last premier before the civil war. Tsiamalili ultimately had to flee Bougainville for his own safety during the early stages of the conflict.
He switched government careers, joining the PNG Foreign Affairs Department. Tsiamalili initially served as a diplomat
at Papua New Guinea's mission to the United Nations
in New York City
. He later became the Papua New Guinean ambassador to both Fiji
and Belgium
, from which he was also accredited to other European nations, including the Netherlands
beginning in 1994. Following his stints as an ambassador, Tsiamalili was appointed to be the secretary for the PNG Foreign Affairs Department.
The government of former Prime Minister
Bill Skate
next appointed Tsiamalili to be secretary of Department of Personnel Management (DPM) during the late 1990s.
was elected the first President of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville
.
The PNG government cabinet under Michael Somare
appointed Tsiamalili as the first administrator of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville following the elections. Tsiamalili remained the top bureaucrat within the PNG government, while simultaneously playing an important behind-the-scenes role in the Bougainville peace process. He also oversaw the establishment of Bougainville's fledgling public service
as the island's administrator.
, Amun, in southwestern Bougainville at the age of 54. The cause of death was believed to be heart problems.
Tsiamalili was survived by his wife, Ruth, and four children.
His body was transported to the Buka General Hospital morgue
in Buka
, the capital of the Bougainvillean government, before being flown to Port Moresby for an autopsy.
Bougainville's first President, Joseph Kabui, described Tsiamalili's death as a tragic loss to Bougainville because much of the reconciliation and redevelopment process on the island was spearheaded by Tsiamalili, "Now I am the first president and he (late Tsiamalili) was the first chief administrator for our autonomous government system. It will be hard for me to get another chief administrator." (Tsiamalili had served as provincial secretary under Kabui before the Bougainvillean civil war). Kabui also stated that Tsiamalili greatest achievement was making the Bougainville peace agreement into a tangible reality, "Late Peter, with all his wealth of experience and exposure both nationally and internationally, was the most appropriate person to be able to help us, the politicians, to bring into being, here on the ground, here on Bougainville, the whole ABG, what the whole ABG is all about."
Tsiamalili's funeral was held at St Joseph’s Catholic Church in Port Moresby. Dignitaries at the funeral included Governor-General
Paulias Matane
, PNG Prime Minister
Michael Somare
, Bougainville President Joseph Kabui
, Bougainville Affairs Minister Sir Peter Barter
, Chief Secretary Isaac Lupari, as well as other politicians, diplomats and relatives. Tsiamalili was buried in his home village of Torokina
in Amun on Bougainville.
There was political fallout from Tsiamalili's burial when several Bougainvillean civil servants and government officials attended the ceremony while intoxicated, including then Vice President
Joseph Watawi and the acting chief administrator Patrick Koles. Watawi and other officials were reportedly drinking beer while others were mourning at the funeral, and were immediately asked to leave the village.
The Chiefs of Torokina district, who represented the Tsiamalili family as well as the people of Amun
, Tokoro, Konua, Kerika and Torokina
, expressed disgust over the incident and demanded an explanation from the Bougainvillean autonomous government with 48 hours. Tsiamalili's younger brother, Lawrence Buruwei, called the actions a disgrace. Other officials and former combatants during the Bougainville civil war demanded that Watawi and the others be fired for their behavior.
President Joseph Kabui and the Autonomous Government of Bougainville apologized for the incident. On 4 May 2007, five thousand people held a protest in Buka
calling for the ouster of Vice President Watawi and acting administrator Patrick Koles for breaking social taboo
s by drinking at the burial. Petitions were given to Kabui by a women's NGO and former combatants fo the Bougainville conflict calling for their immediate removal from office. Under pressure, President Kabui dismissed Watawi from his government in May 2007, which he called "a painful decision to make". Kabui named John Tabinaman
as the new vice president.
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...
n civil servant who served as the first chief administrator of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville (ABG) following successful elections in June 2005. Tsiamalili also served as a diplomat
Diplomat
A diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...
and ambassador
Ambassador
An ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
representing Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...
abroad in Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
and Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
.
Early life as a porter
Tsiamalili enrolled at the Administrative College of Papua New Guinea in Port MoresbyPort Moresby
Port Moresby , or Pot Mosbi in Tok Pisin, is the capital and largest city of Papua New Guinea . It is located on the shores of the Gulf of Papua, on the southeastern coast of the island of New Guinea, which made it a prime objective for conquest by the Imperial Japanese forces during 1942–43...
during the 1960s. He studied to become a government officer, which is commonly called a "kiap
Kiap
Kiaps, variously known as district officers and patrol officers, in pre-independence Papua New Guinea were travelling representatives of the British and Australian governments.-History:...
" by Papuans.
Career
Following the completion of his education and training, Tsiamalili worked his way up the bureaucratic ladder to become the provincial secretarySecretary
A secretary, or administrative assistant, is a person whose work consists of supporting management, including executives, using a variety of project management, communication & organizational skills. These functions may be entirely carried out to assist one other employee or may be for the benefit...
of the North Solomons Province, which is now known as the Autonomous Region of Bougainville. Tsiamalili served as provincial secretary under the government of then North Solomons Province Premier Joseph Kabui
Joseph Kabui
Joseph Canisius Kabui was a secessionist leader and the first President of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville, off the coast of Papua New Guinea, from 2005 to 2008. He was also the leader of the Bougainville People's Congress....
. He remained secretary until the outbreak of the nine-year long Bougainville civil war beginning in 1989. The North Solomons (Bougainville) provincial government was dismissed at the beginning of the conflict, making Tsiamalili the last provincial secretary and Kabui the last premier before the civil war. Tsiamalili ultimately had to flee Bougainville for his own safety during the early stages of the conflict.
He switched government careers, joining the PNG Foreign Affairs Department. Tsiamalili initially served as a diplomat
Diplomat
A diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...
at Papua New Guinea's mission to the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. He later became the Papua New Guinean ambassador to both Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
and Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, from which he was also accredited to other European nations, including the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
beginning in 1994. Following his stints as an ambassador, Tsiamalili was appointed to be the secretary for the PNG Foreign Affairs Department.
The government of former Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea
The Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea, is Papua New Guinea's head of government, consequent on being the leader of the party or coalition with majority support in the National Parliament. Since 2 August 2011, the Prime Minister has been Peter O’Neill of the People's National Congress Party.-List...
Bill Skate
Bill Skate
Sir William Jack Skate KCMG was a Papua New Guinea politician and statesman. He was the son of an Australian father and a native PNG mother...
next appointed Tsiamalili to be secretary of Department of Personnel Management (DPM) during the late 1990s.
Chief Administrator of Bougainville
Landmark Bougainville elections were held in June 2005 which restored the utonomous government of Bougainville (ABG). Tsiamalili co-ordinated the successful elections and restoration of Bougainville's government, in which Joseph KabuiJoseph Kabui
Joseph Canisius Kabui was a secessionist leader and the first President of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville, off the coast of Papua New Guinea, from 2005 to 2008. He was also the leader of the Bougainville People's Congress....
was elected the first President of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville
President of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville
The President of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville governs the island, which is an autonomous entity within Papua New Guinea.The first President of Bougainville was Joseph Kabui, who was elected in June 2005, following the 2000 peace agreement which ended the Bougainville War...
.
The PNG government cabinet under Michael Somare
Michael Somare
Sir Michael Thomas Somare, GCL, GCMG, CH, CF, KStJ, MP was Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea from 2002 to 2011; he had previously been Prime Minister from independence in 1975 until 1980 and again from 1982 until 1985. Somare's first two terms were as a member of the Pangu Party, but he then...
appointed Tsiamalili as the first administrator of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville following the elections. Tsiamalili remained the top bureaucrat within the PNG government, while simultaneously playing an important behind-the-scenes role in the Bougainville peace process. He also oversaw the establishment of Bougainville's fledgling public service
Public services
Public services is a term usually used to mean services provided by government to its citizens, either directly or by financing private provision of services. The term is associated with a social consensus that certain services should be available to all, regardless of income...
as the island's administrator.
Death
Peter Tsiamalili died unexpectedly in his sleep on 15 April 2007, in his home village of TorokinaTorokina
Torokina is a coastal village on the island of Bougainville, Papua New Guinea. It is located on the western coast of that island, at ....
, Amun, in southwestern Bougainville at the age of 54. The cause of death was believed to be heart problems.
Tsiamalili was survived by his wife, Ruth, and four children.
His body was transported to the Buka General Hospital morgue
Morgue
A morgue or mortuary is used for the storage of human corpses awaiting identification, or removal for autopsy or disposal by burial, cremation or otherwise...
in Buka
Buka, Papua New Guinea
Buka is situated on Buka Island, Bougainville Province, Papua New Guinea. It has been the capital of the province during the Bougainville civil war...
, the capital of the Bougainvillean government, before being flown to Port Moresby for an autopsy.
Bougainville's first President, Joseph Kabui, described Tsiamalili's death as a tragic loss to Bougainville because much of the reconciliation and redevelopment process on the island was spearheaded by Tsiamalili, "Now I am the first president and he (late Tsiamalili) was the first chief administrator for our autonomous government system. It will be hard for me to get another chief administrator." (Tsiamalili had served as provincial secretary under Kabui before the Bougainvillean civil war). Kabui also stated that Tsiamalili greatest achievement was making the Bougainville peace agreement into a tangible reality, "Late Peter, with all his wealth of experience and exposure both nationally and internationally, was the most appropriate person to be able to help us, the politicians, to bring into being, here on the ground, here on Bougainville, the whole ABG, what the whole ABG is all about."
Tsiamalili's funeral was held at St Joseph’s Catholic Church in Port Moresby. Dignitaries at the funeral included Governor-General
Governor-General of Papua New Guinea
The Governor-General of Papua New Guinea is the viceregal representative of Queen Elizabeth II, known in Tok Pisin as 'Missis Kwin', Papua New Guinea's head of state, performing the duties of the Queen in her absence...
Paulias Matane
Paulias Matane
Sir Paulias Nguna Matane GCL, GCMG, OBE, KStJ , formerly a career civil servant, was the eighth Governor-General of Papua New Guinea from 29 June 2004 to 13 December 2010.-Personal life:...
, PNG Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea
The Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea, is Papua New Guinea's head of government, consequent on being the leader of the party or coalition with majority support in the National Parliament. Since 2 August 2011, the Prime Minister has been Peter O’Neill of the People's National Congress Party.-List...
Michael Somare
Michael Somare
Sir Michael Thomas Somare, GCL, GCMG, CH, CF, KStJ, MP was Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea from 2002 to 2011; he had previously been Prime Minister from independence in 1975 until 1980 and again from 1982 until 1985. Somare's first two terms were as a member of the Pangu Party, but he then...
, Bougainville President Joseph Kabui
Joseph Kabui
Joseph Canisius Kabui was a secessionist leader and the first President of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville, off the coast of Papua New Guinea, from 2005 to 2008. He was also the leader of the Bougainville People's Congress....
, Bougainville Affairs Minister Sir Peter Barter
Peter Barter
Sir Peter Leslie Charles Barter, GCL, OBE was Minister for Health and Bougainville Affairs in the Papua New Guinean Government and is active in the reconciliation movement in Bougainville. He established the Melanesian Foundation in 1980, a not-for-profit organisation that invests in remote...
, Chief Secretary Isaac Lupari, as well as other politicians, diplomats and relatives. Tsiamalili was buried in his home village of Torokina
Torokina
Torokina is a coastal village on the island of Bougainville, Papua New Guinea. It is located on the western coast of that island, at ....
in Amun on Bougainville.
There was political fallout from Tsiamalili's burial when several Bougainvillean civil servants and government officials attended the ceremony while intoxicated, including then Vice President
President of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville
The President of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville governs the island, which is an autonomous entity within Papua New Guinea.The first President of Bougainville was Joseph Kabui, who was elected in June 2005, following the 2000 peace agreement which ended the Bougainville War...
Joseph Watawi and the acting chief administrator Patrick Koles. Watawi and other officials were reportedly drinking beer while others were mourning at the funeral, and were immediately asked to leave the village.
The Chiefs of Torokina district, who represented the Tsiamalili family as well as the people of Amun
Amun
Amun, reconstructed Egyptian Yamānu , was a god in Egyptian mythology who in the form of Amun-Ra became the focus of the most complex system of theology in Ancient Egypt...
, Tokoro, Konua, Kerika and Torokina
Torokina
Torokina is a coastal village on the island of Bougainville, Papua New Guinea. It is located on the western coast of that island, at ....
, expressed disgust over the incident and demanded an explanation from the Bougainvillean autonomous government with 48 hours. Tsiamalili's younger brother, Lawrence Buruwei, called the actions a disgrace. Other officials and former combatants during the Bougainville civil war demanded that Watawi and the others be fired for their behavior.
President Joseph Kabui and the Autonomous Government of Bougainville apologized for the incident. On 4 May 2007, five thousand people held a protest in Buka
Buka
Buka can refer to:* Buka, Papua New Guinea, the war capital of Bougainville Province.* Buka Island is the second largest island in the Papua New Guinean province of Bougainville.* Buka Entertainment, a computer game publisher...
calling for the ouster of Vice President Watawi and acting administrator Patrick Koles for breaking social taboo
Taboo
A taboo is a strong social prohibition relating to any area of human activity or social custom that is sacred and or forbidden based on moral judgment, religious beliefs and or scientific consensus. Breaking the taboo is usually considered objectionable or abhorrent by society...
s by drinking at the burial. Petitions were given to Kabui by a women's NGO and former combatants fo the Bougainville conflict calling for their immediate removal from office. Under pressure, President Kabui dismissed Watawi from his government in May 2007, which he called "a painful decision to make". Kabui named John Tabinaman
John Tabinaman
John Tabinaman was the Acting President of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville, in Papua New Guinea, from 7 June 2008 to 6 January 2009.-As Vice President:...
as the new vice president.