Word: mekamui
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...past eight months a series of curious incidents have shaken the newly named Kingdom of Mekamui, and at their heart is the conman Musingku, thought to be the power behind the jungle throne. Bougainville-born, he fled P.N.G. in 2002 after the collapse of u-vistract, a pyramid scheme that swallowed millions of kina of P.N.G. residents' savings. Musingku surfaced later that year in Solomon Islands, involved in a scheme to bail the islands out of bankruptcy, but when his role became public he fled again - this time into Ona's no-go zone...
...another businessman, Tom Wavik, who is reported to hold an Australian passport. Richards represents himself as Prince Jeffrey, monarch of the independent state of Magilno, near Rockhampton on Queensland's central coast. In that capacity he claims to have signed a deal with Musingku acting on behalf of Mekamui's financial affairs. The deal grants Magilno a share of Bougainville's asset wealth. Just another, it seems, of the South Pacific's colorful players...
...place," he says. "It can have a bad impact on the peace process." As required by the Bougainville Peace Agreement, signed in 2001, a constitution for an autonomous Bougainville has been drawn up and is awaiting ratification. "I'm frustrated because we were just getting this communication with Mekamui," says Noruka. "We have gone back to square one." Arawa health officer Charles Tawora has more immediate concerns. He says an immunization program for measles and polio has been rejected by the rebels: "Ona has said they will take care of that themselves...
...When Time visited Arawa in late November, the Mekamui government reported Richards and Nesbitt were still in the no-go zone. One of Ona's representatives, William Sivusia, says the foreigners were there to assist in dealing with the U.N. as a prerequisite to having their monarchy recognized, and were in good health, "though they are running short of cigarettes, which has upset them a bit." Back in Kempsey, in northern New South Wales, Richards' former partner Elise Penson is more concerned. "We haven't spoken to him for two weeks. I'm worried that the government will...
...Meanwhile, the King-dom of Mekamui grows daily more bizarre. Citing an intelligence source inside Australia's Defence Department, Mekamui representatives told Time that Australian Prime Minister John Howard is intending to insert mercenaries into central Bougainville this month to launch a military intervention campaign. They say there are already as many as six mercenaries in Arawa with A.F.P. contingents who are to be "ready for frontline operations when the offensive begins." The claims have been dismissed as nonsense by Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs. In response to the perceived threat, Mekamui officials have placed a road block...