Roman Tmetuchl
| Roman Tmetuchl | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Born |
February 11, 1926 Babelthuap, Airai, Palau |
| Died | July 1, 1999 (aged 73) |
| Occupation | Businessman, politician |
| Years active | 1970–1990 |
| Spouse(s) | Dirrengerkiu Perpetua "Tua" Polloi Tmetuchl |
| Administrative Assistant to the Chief Justice of the Trust Territory High Court | |
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In office 1952–1957 |
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Roman Tmetuchl (February 11, 1926 – July 1, 1999) was a Palauan political leader and businessman. He grew up in Japanese-controlled Palau and joined the Kempeitai, the Japanese secret police, during World War II. After the war, he became the leader of Palau's Liberal Party. He worked in the Congress of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands from 1964 to 1978 and advocated for Palau gaining a separatist status from the rest of Micronesia. He became governor of Airai and engaged in three unsuccessful Palauan presidential campaigns. As a businessman, Tmetuchl led several construction projects for his businesses and for the community.
Tmetuchl was born in the Eloklsumech clan of Airai in 1926. He grew up in Koror while Palau was under Japanese control. He attended a Japanese elementary school in Koror and excelled in mathematics. During this time, he worked as a janitor and newspaper delivery boy. Tmetuchl was also a sprinter and was, according to William Vitarelli, regarded as the fastest sprinter in Palau and Guam in 1949.
In 1943, he was recruited to work for the Kempeitai, the Empire of Japan's military police in World War II. He started with various cleaning jobs and then worked for Lieutenant Colonel Aritsune Miyazaki. He participated in military drills and exercises and learned more about the status of the war at police headquarters.
After the war, he returned to Koror and started working for the United States military at a quarry. Tmetuchl, who at that time could speak Palauan and Japanese, started learning English. He was recruited for teacher training group and learned more English. They traveled to Guam in 1948 for further training. In this year he testified at a war crime trial for twenty Imperial Japanese Army personnel. At the age of 23, Tmetuchl was placed in the 11th grade at George Washington High School in Guam. He graduated in 1951 and was one of the top ten students of his class.
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