Killing a retard at Enamira by the PNG Army

Leonard Fong Roka

In 1989, having satisfied their appetite with all the burning of most villages along the road in the Panguna’s Tumpusiong Valley, the Papua New Guinea Defense Force (PNGDF) began careful infiltrations into areas uphill or away from the roads accessible by vehicles.

Anthony Imako

One such hamlet that had a visit from the PNGDF was Enamira that was situated on the foot of Panguna’s main Catholic Mission of Deumori.

But the unique fact about this desolated hamlet, situation on the ridge, directly above the main entrance of the Panguna mine’s Pit Drainage Tunnel,  is that it was home to Arenama, a mentally retard person who had abandoned his wife and children under this condition. Arenama was a blood brother of one of the key leaders in the old Panguna Landowners Association and currently is one of the main advocators of the reopening of the Panguna mine, Michael Pariu.

Formerly, Arenama was a catechist at Deumori. But later got sick and was mentally handicapped. However, despite in this state of mind, he loved his recluse stash. He kept it clean by sweeping the entire lawn daily. He planted flowers; did his own gardening and always hated noisy visitors. But he was harmless.

But one thing known to him was that he dug little holes under his little hut and defecated there and buried his waste.

On that fateful day in 1989, Anthony Imako (pictured), a militant and his mate passed through the hamlet whilst his uncle was still asleep to observe the deserted Deumori Catholic Mission which two days earlier the PNGDF had shot at them as they shouted and condemned them from their hiding place on a ridge.

After having satisfied their hunger with ripe bananas further away from Enamira on gardens left behind by relatives who had fled to care centers in Arawa, they tracked downstream to get to the cliffs that hold the Catholic mission above; their intention was to climb the cliff-face where the PNGDF would not bother to watch.

But half way in their climb, looking down on the forested stream that runs near Enamira further upstream, they spotted an unexpected patrol of the PNGDF tracking up along a trail sourced from the Kavarongnau hamlet, home to the then North Solomons Provincial Government Premier Joseph Kabui which they had burned earlier.

They immediately left to try and persuade Arenama to escape from the patrol.

When they arrived at Enamira, Arenama who was then in his mid-50s, was preparing to cook his breakfast.

They calmly talked with chatted with him and told him that there is a patrol of killers approaching them. Then, Imako and his mate, both unarmed, left to observe the progress of the infiltrators so they returned back to Arenama who had now a burning fire with a pot on.

They told him to move out which he agreed as he chuckled and told them to go ahead.

To that, the pair left down the rugged rocky brae locally known as Katoma on trial that was only the fastest access to the highway below at the entrance of the Panguna mine Pit Drainage Tunnel.

But as they neared, below was a parked convoy of Bougainville Copper Limited (BCL) trucks with PNGDF soldiers. They change their course to a safer spot and halted and kept their eyes on the PNGDF men below.

They remain there for a few minutes when just above them, at Enamira, guns began rattling. They immediate knew, their relative was the target. Imako was confused whether to go and check or remain. But they remained as it was getting hot with the midday sun.

But the noisy crows above the trail from Enamira were their awareness that the PNGDF was moving down the track they had followed for this waiting convoy.

But as they remain stealth, Imako without any knowledge that the tobacco scent does travel got his smoke-pipe burning to the awareness of the alert PNGDF men that there was a foe nearby. The PNGDF recklessly fired rounds at their direction so they darted uphill towards Enamira in a different direction since the group departing from Enamira was also firing guns.

Upon arrival on ridge top, they observed from the nearby bushes; seeing it was clear, they moved on the lawn. There, the old man’s pot of rice was smashed up; his little hut destroyed and his few belongings burning on the lawn.

Imako felt happy thinking his uncle had escaped. But marching towards the edge of the lawn to look down at the Pit Drainage Tunnel area, there was blood on the ground and on a bush rope piece left behind.

They slowly tracked down; there it was blood everywhere. Since the terrain was so difficult to carry someone, they did roll Arenama downhill. At spots, grass were bend as if a heavy drum rolled over them, but they had blood.

A few step-stones had blood with ants feasting and flies hovering. Further down, the pair saw parts of his skin against some broken sharp bamboos on the track that he might have being dragged over. Imako was so sad that they immediately left back for the village as the convoy of BCL trucks and the PNGDF left at dusk.

The next morning, the militant relay the story to Arawa where their relatives were in the old Arawa’s colonial plantation era fermentary building where most of the Tumpusiong Valley people were kept including the late Arenama’s wife, children and grandchildren.

They hesitated for a few days in fear of the PNGDF and police who were always harassing the hospital staff of the Arawa General Hospital. But later ordered Michael Pariu and a few elders to negotiate with the PNGDF at the hospital and were allowed to identify the body.

They searched the refrigerated shipping container piled with bodies. Arguments broke over the death story of Arenama as they searched. But later identified the body of their relative; the body was disfigured but his feet helped to confirm that it was the body of the late Arenama.

He was brought back home and buried where he was shot with fired cartridges inserted into the concrete block over his tomb to indicate he was killed by the gun.