Southern Highlands (Papua New Guinea)

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Southern Highlands is a province in Papua New Guinea. Its provincial capital is the town of Mendi. According to Papua New Guinea's national 2000 census, the total population of Southern Highlands is 546,265 spread across 23,800 square kilometers (9,189 square miles), which makes it the most highly populated province in the country.

[edit] Description

The province is divided into roughly four distinct Geographic regions

1. The West: Which includes the districts of Tari, Koroba, Kopiago and Komo - the home of the Huli, Duna, and Hewa peoples.
2. The Centre: Which includes the districts of Margaraima, Nipa, Mendi and the Lai Valley, and is the home of the speakers of dialects of the Anggal Heneng language.
3. The East: Which includes the districts of Kagua, Ialibu, Pangia and Erave, and is the home of the speakers of the Imbongu, Kewa, and Wiru languages, and home to the second highest mountain in Papua New Guinea, Mount Giluwe.
4. 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 (shared with Western Province) Foe, and Fasu.

[edit] Declaration of state of emergency in Southern Highlands region

On August 1 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.^[1]

As a region rich in energy resources, the Southern Highlands whas been at the centre of plans to construct a gas pipeline to pump natural gas to Queensland in north Australia. The project would result 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.

The move was supported by Parliament, although some criticism was levelled at the government for restricting press access to the region while the state of emergency is in force.

[edit] Sources/Further Reading

• Hanson, L.W.; Allen, B.J., Bourke, R.M. and McCarthy, T.J. (2001). Papua New Guinea Rural Development Handbook (30 Megabyte PDF). Land Management Group, Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies. The Australian National University.
• National editorial condemns reporting shackles. Pacific Media Watch (2006-08-26).

Provinces of Papua New Guinea
Central | Eastern Highlands | East New Britain | East Sepik | Enga | Gulf | Madang | Manus | Milne Bay | Morobe | New Ireland | North Solomons (Bougainville) | Oro (Northern) | Sandaun (West Sepik) | Simbu (Chimbu) | Southern Highlands | Western | Western Highlands | West New Britain | National Capital District