Wikipedia

Southern Highlands Province

(Redirected from Southern Highlands, Papua New Guinea)

Southern Highlands is a province in Papua New Guinea. Its provincial capital is the town of Mendi.[2] According to Papua New Guinea's national 2021 census, the total population of Southern Highlands province is 927,306.[3]

Southern Highlands Province
Sauten Hailans (Tok Pisin)
Saden Halens (Angal Dialect)
Southern Highlands Province
Flag of Southern Highlands Province
Flag
Southern Highlands Province in Papua New Guinea
Southern Highlands Province in Papua New Guinea
Coordinates: 6°10′S 143°20′E / 6.167°S 143.333°E / -6.167; 143.333
CountryPapua New Guinea
CapitalMendi
Districts
List
Government
 • GovernorWilliam Powi
Area
 • Total
15,089 km2 (5,826 sq mi)
Population
 (2021 census)
 • Total
972,306
 • Density64/km2 (170/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+10 (AEST)
HDI (2018)0.479[1]
low · 21st of 22

History

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Separation of Hela Province

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In July 2009, the Parliament of Papua New Guinea directed the creation of Hela Province from the Southern Highlands districts of Tari-Pori, Komo-Magarima, and Koroba-Kopiago.[4] The province formally split from Southern Highlands on 17 May 2012.

Geography

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Near the provincial capital of Mendi lies Lake Kutubu, which is the second largest lake in Papua New Guinea. The lake is known for its biodiversity and in particular its endemic fish species.

Mount Giluwe lies along the border between the Southern Highlands Province and the Western Highlands province. At 4,367m (14, 327ft), Mount Giluwe is the second tallest mountain in Papua New Guinea and the fifth tallest on the island of New Guinea.

Natural Resources

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As a region rich in energy resources, the Southern Highlands was at the centre of plans to construct a gas pipeline to pump natural gas to Queensland in north Australia. The project would have resulted in much needed revenue for Papua New Guinea, and as it was believed that the instability in the region could jeopardise the project, the national government decided to intervene by declaring a state of emergency. The move was supported by Parliament, although some criticism was leveled at the government for restricting press access to the region while the state of emergency was in force. The companies involved subsequently opted for the current PNG Gas project which has export facilities outside Port Moresby. This is operated by Esso Highlands, a subsidiary of Exxon Mobil Corporation, and is expected to begin production in 2014.

Demographics

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Southern Highlands has diversely more than 8 groups of people, the Kutubu Bosavi are partly of the Huli tribes and coastal, they speak Hela and the Foe Faso languages, the Erave Samberigi people also are of coastal or Papuan descent and speak their own, Poroma, Nipa and Plato speak the Nongo-Naiko dialect as of the Mendi people but in a twist of tongue, the people surrounding Mt Giluwe and Ialibu speak the Umbu-Ungu dialect while Pangia and Kagua people speak their two different languages. The Imboungu and parts of Ialibu people speak Kewabi languages. This shows that there are more than 8 major languages and 18-24 different tribes that live in SHP. Some tribes extends all the way to newly formed Hela province, Enga,Western Highlands Province, Gulf Province, Simbu Province and the Western Provinces.SHP is quite uniquely diverse in tribes and people of both coastal and Highlands descent living with their varying cultures and traditions passed down from generations to generations.

Cultural Regions

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The Southern Highlands province is divided into roughly three distinct geographic regions:

  1. The West- which includes the Southern Highlands districts of Nipa, Mendi, Lai Valley, Imbogu (lower Mendi), Hela District of Magarima, Kutubu and part of Kendep (Enga Province). This region is primarily home to speakers of dialects of the Anggal Heneng language.
  2. The East- which includes the districts of Kagua, Ialibu, Pangia and Erave. This region is primarily home to speakers of the Imbongu, Kewa, and Wiru languages.
  3. The Lowlands- which stretch across the southern part of the Southern Highlands province from the volcanic peaks of Mount Bosavi to include the oilfields of Lake Kutubu, and includes the language groups of Biami, Foe, and Fasu.

Administrative Subdivisions

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Districts and LLGs

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There are five districts in the province and a total of twenty Local Level Government (LLG) areas.[2] For census purposes, the LLG areas are subdivided into wards and those into census units.[3]

District District Capital LLG Name
Ialibu-Pangia District Ialibu East Pangia Rural
Ialibu Urban
Kewabi Rural
Wiru Rural
Imbonggu District Imbonggu Ialibu Basin Rural
Imbonggu Rural
Lower Mendi Rural
Kagua-Erave District Kagua Erave Rural
Kagua Rural
Kuare Rural
Aiya Rural
Mendi-Munihu District Mendi Karints Rural
Lai Valley Rural
Mendi Urban
Upper Mendi Rural
Nipa-Kutubu District Nipa Lake Kutubu Rural
Mount Bosavi Rural
Nembi Plateau Rural
Nipa Rural
Poroma Rural

Provincial leaders

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The province was governed by a decentralized provincial administration, headed by a Premier, from 1978 to 1995. Following reforms taking effect that year, the national government centralized the provincial government and replaced the office of Premier with that of Governor. The governorship is held by the winner of the province-wide seat in the National Parliament of Papua New Guinea.[5][6]

Premiers (1978–1995)

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Premier Term
Andrew Andaija 1978–1980
Tegi Ebeial 1980–1985
Yaungtine Koromba 1985–1990
Albert Mokai 1990–1992
provincial government suspended 1992–1995

Governors (1995–present)

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Governor Term
Dick Mune 1995–1997
Anderson Agiru 1997–2000
Hami Yawari 2003–2006
Anderson Agiru 2007–2012
William Powi 2012–present

Members of the National Parliament

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The province and each district is represented by a Member of the National Parliament. There is one provincial electorate and each district is an open electorate.

Electorate Member
Southern Highlands Provincial William Powi
Ialibu-Pangia Open Peter O'Neill
Imbonggu Open Pila Niningi
Kagua-Erave Open Maina Pano
Mendi Open Raphael Tonpi
Nipa-Kutubu Open Billy William M. Joseph

Political Unrest

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2006 State of Emergency

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On 1 August 2006, the government of Papua New Guinea declared a state of emergency in the country's Southern Highlands region. According to Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare, troops were deployed to restore 'law, order and good governance' in the region, following accusations of corruption, theft and misuse of government buildings at the hands of the regional government.[7]

2017 Election Dispute

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William Powi's election as provincial governor was contested by his primary opponent, Pastor Bernard Peter Kaku. Kaku filed a lawsuit alleging that Powi was prematurely declared the victor after he had received a plurality, but not a majority of votes.[8] In 2021, the National Court of Papua New Guinea ruled in favor of Kaku and suspended Powi as provincial governor until a recount could be completed.[8] Ultimately, William Powi won re-election in 2022, before the suspension could become effective.[9]

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During the 2022 provincial election fighting broke out between supporters of sitting Governor William Powi and those of various regional candidates.[10]

References

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Southern_Highlands_Province.
  1. ^ "Sub-national HDI - Area Database - Global Data Lab". hdi.globaldatalab.org. Retrieved 2020-04-18.
  2. ^ a b "Southern Highlands Province". Retrieved 2024-07-12.
  3. ^ a b "Southern Highlands Results" (PDF). www.nso.gov.pg. 2021 Population Estimates. Port Moresby: National Statistical Office, Papua New Guinea. 2014.
  4. ^ "PNG to create two new provinces", Sydney Morning Herald, July 15, 2009
  5. ^ May, R. J. "8. Decentralisation: Two Steps Forward, One Step Back". State and society in Papua New Guinea: the first twenty-five years. Australian National University. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
  6. ^ "Provinces". rulers.org. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
  7. ^ "State of emergency in PNG region". BBC News. 2006-08-01.
  8. ^ a b Ligaiula, Pita (2021-08-26). "Southern Highlands Governor Powi suspended with full pay | PINA". Retrieved 2024-07-12.
  9. ^ "POWI TO APPEAL NATIONAL COURT DECISION – PNG Haus Bung". 2021-08-30. Retrieved 2024-07-12.
  10. ^ "FIGHTING ERUPTS IN MENDI – PNG Haus Bung". 2022-08-19. Retrieved 2024-07-12.
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