Kimil league lifts hopes

By TONY PALME
THE determination of one man to use rugby league as a tool to bring peace has done wonders for almost 30,000 people in western Jiwaka.
Michael Tee Pau, the founder and president of Kimil Rugby Football League, is working on capturing the interest of youth and channeling it on playing rugby league.
Kimil league has already produced some of the country’s best players.
Kimil products include Joe Frank (Hunters squad), Gene Markham (Lahanis premiership winner), Francis Sam (Tumbe), Bruce Kawage (Tumbe), Steven Pat (Tumbe) and Ezekiel Karl (Tumbe).
The people of the Kulaka and Opei tribes, including the Kinjibi-Prandka people of Dei district of Western Highlands, and those living in the plantations of Kimil, Bunum Wo and Sigri thanked the local businessman and youth leader Pau for helping bringing peace into their communities.
Kimil and Bunum Wo, once known as a notorious place in Jiwaka, engulfed in frequent gun battles, tribal fights and ethnic clashes is no focusing on other pursuits among them sport and in particulalr rugby league.
Youths have stopped drinking homebrew, smoking marijuana, stealing, and fighting to concentrate on playing rugby.
At the helm of league development is 40-year-old Pau, from the Opei tribe, son of prominent local leader Kisan Pau.
Pau believes that rugby league can help change the attitude of resorting to violence to resolve issues by encouraging discipline, teamwork and taking responsibility for one’s actions.
Pau said he wanted to encourage young people to put their energies to peaceful activities and rugby league was an obvious choice.
“In 2014, I started the Kimil league and registered it with the PNGRFL after seeing that the law and order issue was a major problem in our area,” Pau said.
“Also my own clansmen and family had a fight resulting in two deaths, which we eventually reconciled. That had changed my mind to do something greater for the community.
“Tribal conflicts are a hindrance to progress.
“You fight and you become nobody. We play and we discipline ourselves and become good citizens.
“The league is into its fourth season and we have seen remarkable changes,” Pau said.
Social problems have been substituted by unity and real sportsmanship that helps the local businesses and people.
“We have targeted the key population, the youths. They are now busy training hard, looking after their body and playing hard.
“They have no time to do negative things.
“Communities are changing because youths have changed their attitudes,” Pau said.
KRFL started in 2014 at the old Kimil field next to St Elizabeth Kimil Primary School and before Kimil Health Centre.
In 2016, Pau created a new field by removing some 27 blocks of coffee from his plantation, all done man power.
On Dec 30, KRFL held its fourth grand final match in which Highlands Confederate director Joe Tokam and development officer Gabriel Kilua, with other Jiwaka Governor’s Cup officials presented trophies.
The KRFL’s best are selected for the OK Raiders in the Jiwaka Governor’s Cup Challenge — the Raiders won titles in 2016 and 2017 .
In 2018, only eight teams participated in the league and 4Ks Laga Knights won the competition.
Pau thanked Jiwaka Governor Dr William Tongamp for supporting the league with K50,000, presented by his chief executive officer Benny Wakpe, after the grand final.
Wakpe announced another K50,000 commitment to KRFL for 2019.
“We’ve paid the affiliation fees of 14 leagues in Jiwaka. Out of all these, Kimil league is the best because it is run well,”Wakpe said.
League secretary Benjamin Kelly said: “We have a major need for infrastructure development like inner and outer fencing, and grandstand. We have the capacity to expand.
“We have never received any government support, let alone the provincial government help in camping.
“Kimil league provides a chance for youths to rehabilitate their life and expose their hidden talents.
“We stress discipline, commitment and self belief. Our aim is to host big matches like the Ipatas Cup, Highlands Zone trials and Digicel Cup,” Kelly said.
Local leader and sponsor of Bunum Wo Warriors, Thaddeus Turi said rugby league said the sport had a positive effect on their communities and appealed for support from local MPs, business houses and individuals.