East Sepik declares 'independence' from PNG

BY KEITH JACKSON

OUR SOMETIME CORRESPONDENT, Tim Koeser (PNG Attitude passim), is at it again. Formerly the self-styled leader of the World Indigenous Council of Jesus Christ, he has re-emerged in the last 24 hours as the no less self-styled President of the East Sepik Interim Government.

It’s quite a promotion but Koeser has the rhetoric, if not the spelling, to support it:

The O’niel Namah monstrosity is not a government but a parliamentary coupe headed by treacherous rebels that are seeking only to extend their illegal reign. They are contravening the Constitution as well as violating the People’s basic democratic rights.

East Sepik independence may have been declared last night, but I should take you back to the beginning. As a former classmate at Two Rivers High School, Wisconsin (USA) recalls:

I first met Tim in our freshman year. Tim hailed from Papua New Guinea. And he had arms the size of oak trees. Tim was a cool dude and was pretty laid back. You could inevitably see him strolling the halls in one of his "Rude Dog" T-shirts. I liked him.

In our junior year, Richard told me that Tim had gotten irritated at a friend of his, Scott Langman. Apparently Tim even suggested that Scott was on steroids, as his mood swings were very annoying. For a time, he allegedly thought about beating the crap out of Scott. We came up with a plan to actually pay Tim to do it. Of course that never happened.

After high school, Tim left Two Rivers (he later said it was full of a bunch of racists) and worked on a Florida fishing boat, found God, painted quite a bit and then decided to visit his mother and uncle Michael [Somare] in Papua New Guinea.

It went pear-shaped. Despite promises by Uncle Michael of a good job, Koeser says he was abandoned by him - as well as by his mother. In all he spent a year back home, during that time meeting his wife Dianne.

Koeser returned to the States and, in 1993, joined the army, settled in Tennessee, had a daughter and son, and became ‘born again’ in 1996.

Then. according to him, Koeser, “helped negotiate a peace treaty that ended a 10-year war on the island of Bougainville”.

His classmate says:

Tim apparently penned the words of the treaty. But he had to do so in secret, as his uncle was "on the other side" so to speak. The treaty was recognised by the United Nations.

So back in PNG, and a man with a mission, Koeser wrote that he was “embroiled in a struggle to save my indigenous lands and resources from the Wall Street globalists that are trying their very best to steal them from me and my indigenous people”.

Fast forward to today, when Koeser and (he claims ) Sir Michael Somare have co-signed an extraordinary ‘East Sepik Declaration of Independence’, in which he says:

Since the O’niel Namah oligarchy has taken over the Parliament they have made it a point to punish the People of the East Sepik in their attempt to defy the PNG Supreme Court and the PNG Constitution that court represents. This is extremely dangerous when these same rebels have taken over the heads of all of the administrative bodies as well as the power of the purse in the Nation. These rebels have nothing to restrain them even claiming to be supreme in PNG.

Koeser goes on to declare:

Therefore we the People of the East Sepik do now hereby unilaterally declare independence in order to defend our People from the rebels controlling the PNG Parliament.

The declaration was to take effect from midnight last night unless Somare was not reinstated as prime minister, an eventuality that at the time of writing seemed highly unlikely.

We look forward to hearing more from Tim Koeser about how the East Sepik Interim Government is travelling in its newly independent status.

Comments

[David Wall]

Tim, I know your father and mother and I can only wish you the best of luck in your endeavours -- give my kindest regards to the family in Wewak and to your father in the States.

[Porah Alex]

It's a long struggle for the chosen one. Timothy Koeser lingers in last place in the East Sepik Regional election contest.

I hope he re-evaluates his position afterwards and considers what his election loss means to what he considered his rightful inheritance & finds new ways to make an impact.

[Tim Koeser]

Most of the people reading this Declaration misunderstood the purpose of it.

What is an unsigned and undated Declaration of Independence?

Well, it is a warning to make sure the ruling parties held the general election.

As a caveat to the story, the two men listed on the Declaration as authorising it are now racing against each other for the East Sepik Regional seat.

You got to understand my sense of humour to be able to understand my brand of insanity. Like the song says, "If you want to survive, you've got to get a little crazy."

I'm not certain if the Declaration had a hand in the fact that the PNG elections were held on time but that was the intent.

[Colin Huggins]

This has to be the cake of all cakes! Tim Koeser (ESIG
President). Thank God, maybe, he is not related to Marie Antoinette. I have strong doubts if there would be enough cake shops in the whole of France to keep up with this nonsense!

[Regina Dorum]

I sincerely apologise to who I offended with my comments. It wasn’t meant to be. It is not a racist comment; call it regionalist if you are offended, we are all Papua New Guineans after all.

Wow, Koeser, you do really believe in what you are doing, All the best.

Aside from this, what I do not understand is that why the Somares are still elected into parliament when no tangible services have been delivered to their province for the last 30 years.

And if you are an elite from Sepik, why haven’t you stood up to them and make it known to the rural people what they are entitled to have but is being denied so that only one family can benefit?

There was an article in the newspapers not long ago which reported on how the LLG leaders vowed to bring Somare back into parliament because of the pride of their culture and the offence that they took when he was ousted by O’Neill. Are they seriously going to do it?

Don’t get me wrong, I do not have any grudges or resentments against Somare, He is the father of the nation after all and had brought Papua New Guinea to Independence and I respect him for that.

Now that the polls are just around the corner, don’t you think it’s about time awareness is made to the people of their rights? And would be so much better for the people to hear it from the elites of Sepiks themselves.

Once again, I sincerely apologise to whoever is offended.

[Tim Koeser (ESIG President)]

"De facto, in fact; by virtue of the deed of accomplishment; actually. Used to refer to a situation in which a condition or institution is operating as though it were official or pursuant to law, but that is not legally authorized.

Such situations may arise where, for example, an authorizing law is declared invalid, or because required legal formalities have not been satisfied."

The above is the dictionary meaning of de facto. Now that I showed you the definition can you now see the problem with PNG?

The Independent State of Papua New Guinea (PNG) is De Facto or “not legally authorized” because the “legal formality” of referendum was never conducted.

That is the fundamental legal point of the Declaration which most of you are missing.

I am actually surprised at some of the racist comments on here but I suppose I shouldn't be. There is still a great deal of racist attitudes in the Pacific.

The point of the matter is that there were people living in the East Sepik Region before any Europeans came and fraudulently claimed our indigenous resources without permission.

Who gave the Europeans the right to claim our resources? What referendum was held gaining the indigenous peoples' express permission to claim title ownership of their indigenous resources?

Do the Europeans have a gene that gives them the right to covet and steal resources belonging to those without that supposed gene? Perhaps it is because of this supposed gene shortage of ours that precludes us from our right to referendum?

Why were we never given a referendum? Is it because we are animals? That rubbish may work in Australia with their Aboriginal population but not in the East Sepik. Not any longer.

However, Keith forgot to mention one point of my pedigree in his article about me. Genetically I am an X-chromosome biological descendent of Gaius Julius Caesar as I am descended from the Austrian Koeser’s who were conceived during the time Julius Caesar was governor of Rome’s Northern Territory.

I'm a member of the Julii which the month of July is named after. I am descended from King Romulus. He was the one that started Rome in case you didn't know. So perhaps that is the genetic problem I have that some people posting on here are referring to.

PNG is the cargo cult which we have waited 36 years to produce any tangible positive results. When we ask for results we are told to “just wait a little bit longer.” Well the East Sepik is tired of waiting.

The fact is that we don't require anyone’s permission but our own to form whatever type of nation we desire. That is the nature of de facto legal relationships which most of you are missing.

Have any of you ever heard of East Timor? East Timor is now independent from Indonesia because there was no referendum joining them to Indonesia and once that referendum occurred in East Timor they voted for Independence. There is no legal difference between East Timor and East Sepik.

It is difficult to write these things in a way that the undereducated can understand. Undereducation is one of the main problems the Pacific is facing.

Education was obviously one of the things that got planted in the PNG cargo cult box back in 1975 that you all are still waiting to be dug up at some future date yet to be disclosed.

[James Enn]

There is a road that probably leads to nowhere built by Chevron in Angoram or Maprik (not sure which) some years back.

The sign of Chevron is still there - but the road has disappeared into the jungle (overgrown with tall coconuts and trees).

I wish East Sepiks very best of luck in their quest for independence from PNG!

There seem to be no shortage of cargo cultists coming from that part PNG, starting with the chief priest of the cargo cults, Somare!

[Basil Peutalo]

The saying that "half educated is dangerous" can almost apply to this person. But I agree with Malcolm N this person is delusional.

[Michael Dom]

If the other provincial boundaries were not gazetted how did we create new ones?

NCD was created conveniently, and includes Motu Koitabu Council.

Bougainville has autonomy and New Ireland is moving that way. Next?

[Harry Topham]

This curious matter raises more questions than answers, eg,
provinces formerly districts were administrative geographical areas with very loose boundaries and were probably never surveyed.

Were provincial boundaries ever surveyed at any time?
If so were they ever gazetted?

Next question - provincial governments. Do they, like local governments, owe their existence to an Act of Parliament or were they created under the constitution to be sovereign states?

If there are no defined surveyed boundaries delineating the boundaries of each province if not then maybe West Sepik and Madang provinces should be asked their opinion.

Maybe the protagonists should check that that they have ammunition before they let go with any further broadsides?
Looks like it could be another shortcoming in the Constitution to me.

[Carl Okuk]

Hahahaha... Needed a good laugh...thanks.

[Michael Dom]

I'm not sure if we should dismiss this as a joke.

There are underlying issues and questions that need to be raised.

And we must not fear to ask: What does independence mean/require? What is our unity based on? It's obvious that provinces want greater control of themselves and is that 'wrong'?

Waigani has disempowered our people so it is understandable that they want government closer to home.
If this is a trend then what does it mean for our future?

Aren't we trying to define Melanesian government?

[Yuambari Haihuie]

An anouncement by anyone who styles themselves as:

Timothy James Koeser a.k.a. Karau, Great Chief and Defender of the Indigneous Nation of Karau
Co-Founder with Christ Jesus of the WIC.JC (the World's Christian and Indigenous Rights Organization)
Disciple and Friend of Jesus Christ my LORD

should be taken with a pinch of the good 'ol NaCl.

Even, and probably, especially, if he is a fellow Sepik.

[Joe Boine]

Interesting story, fantasy very well expressed!

[Adam Elliott]

I dunno, his rhetoric is just like that of other PNG politicians if you ask me.

Some half truth, a dash of nationalism and something for the xenophobes.

[Smith Urea]

PNG is not Somare Enterprises. Bunch of fools.

[Tiokai Kakas]

Planti long long pulam lon PNG ya!

Inap lon displa nonsense blon PNG na East Sepik!

Independent State of East Sepik? Huh!
________

In short, you've gotta be joking - KJ

[Russell Soaba]

Just the other day I was thinking of declaring independence for our storyboard team of writers.

We still haven't come up with a national anthem yet, except some patriotic poetry we have before us for translation into Motu and Tok Pisin.

That will really keep us busy for some time yet.

[Leonard Roka]

If East Sepik is thinking along this line, then the world belongs to no one, it is their rational choice.

A 'spotless' province is soon to surprise these big mouths who are condemning you, East Sepik, and from Bougainville I will watch where we go.

The trend is Bougainvillean: Bougainville gained provincial status, all you went for it.

At the cost of lives you gave us autonomy, now you cry autonomy and when we go independence, PNG is gone!

Wait and see.

[David Kitchnoge]

Not a single province in this country can truly say they don't depend on other provinces in some way.

We all have our weaknesses but we are stronger when we pool all our strenghts together.

Simply treat this nonsense as a joke and let's march on.

[Malcolm N]

This person seems delusional. He should get treatment at a mental health facility.

But then again, he is no different than the long line of cargo cultists that have successfully pulled our people one crazy direction after another.

I wonder if many of us in PNG have a gene inside us not shared by Europeans that creates this craziness.

[Ludmilla Isalonda]

@Regina Dorum: I agree with David Kitchnoge that we should treat this as a joke.

That said, as a proud and very educated Sepik from Biwat, Angoram, I take issue with your remarks and consider them to be pretty inflammatory.

It is easy to take a broad brush and taint all Sepiks because of the Somare connection. For the record, not all Sepiks support the Somares.

Sure we may not have contributed much by way of these extractive-based riches that you allude to that may have come from other areas (assuming yours included) of the country, but you cannot deny the Sepik contribution to this country by way of knowledge capital.

In my view, perhaps knowledge and education more than mineral wealth is what a country needs to be a wealthy, healthy and wise country.

[Leslie Bahnkawa]

Give it to them now and tomorrow put their leaders behind bars declare marshall law and teach Papua New Guineans a lesson even not to think about secession.

Enough of hooligans who wannabe heroes!

[Tavurvur]

An independent East Sepik? What a joke.

Half their forests are gone (thanks to the Somares' and Namah's logging interests), their infrastructure is one of the worst in the country, their infant mortality rates and health statistics are among the worst in PNG (thanks to the non-actions of their own MPs).

They have no provincial FDI-driven external income to depend on, and the Freida mine is a few years off yet for production - so what exactly do they have?

Sago, copra, vanilla, some cocoa and a shitload of mosquitoes.

Good luck with independence.

[PNG Election Blogger]

LOL, the Chief himself should announce it on EMTV. Hehehehe, nice joke, LOL

[West Coast]

I'm from ESP, and my uncle was on the committee that went to Bougainville with John Momis to talk to the BRA.

They locked them up and threatened to kill them, but they talked them into peace.

I agree with how he says the O'nama gov is crazy, but I think he is not credible.

[David Kitchnoge]

Nice joke!

[Poyap Rooney]

What a bombshell!

[Regina Dorum]

Give it to them and see how far they will go...

The Somares benefitted from PNG's resources in which none of the resources came from East Sepik.

I feel for the population, unfortunately they do not know what they want so they will follow the Somare clan even if he leads them to hell!