Happy Isles in Crisis Happy Isles in Crisis The historical causes for a failing state in Solomon Islands, 1998-2004 Clive Moore @ Asia Pacinc Press 2004 Th1s WOl'k is copyright. Apan from those uses whieh may be permitted under the CoppJgfJt Act 196'8 as omended, no part I11f\Y be reproduced by any process v·,Iithout written permission from the publishers. The vi,ews expressed in t.his bO(lk are those of the l1uU)()!' and not necessarily of the publishers. Asia PncWc Press Asia Pacific School of Economics (lnd Government The Australian National Unversity Canberra ACT 0200 Ph: GI·2·5J2;i 4700 Fax: 51·2·5257 2885 EmaIl: [email protected] Wehslte: http://wwwasiapaeificpress.col11 National Library of Australia Cataloguing·in-Publicatlon entry Moore, Clive. Happy Isles in Crisis: the historical causes for a railing state in SoloI1lon Isiands, 1998.. 2004. Bibliography ISBN 0 73 J5 3709 2. ]. Solomon Islands - Politics and government.a. 2. Solomon Islands - Economic conditions. 3. Solomon Islands· Social conditions. 4. Solomon Isiands . History I. Title. 320.99593 Editor: Matthew May, Asia Pacific Press Cover design: Annie Ili Nallo Design Printed in Australia by University Pl'inting Service Cover Image: Jocelyn CarlJn Contents Tables vi Maps vi Abbreviatiuns vii Acknuwledgments ix 1 An overview of the Solumun Islands crisis 2 Government, politics and civil society, 18DJ-2000 25 3 Fish, oil palm, timber and gold: the economy, 19705-1 D90s 68 4 Liberating Guadalcanal: the Isatabu Freedom Movement and the Malaitan refugees, 1DD8-2000 93 5 The Eagle has landed: the Malaita Eagle Force, January June 2000 123 6 The incredible sinking nation: Manasseh Sogavare's government, June 2000-December 2001 137 7 Rescuing a failing state: the government: of Sir Allan Kernakeza, 2001-2004 177 8 Conclusion: RAMSI-the aftermath 212 References 229 Tables 2.1 Solomon Islands prime ministers and governors-general since independence 42 4.1 Government and institutional peace negotiations and forums, 1998--2001 113 Maps 2.1 The Solomon Islands' provinces at the time of independence, 1978 44 4.1 Guadalcanal Island 94 5.1 Malaita Island and its language areas 126 Abbreviations AFP Agence France-Presse ABC Australian Broadcasting Corporation ASPI Australian Strategic Policy Institute BRA Bougainville Revolutionary Army BBC British Broadcasting Corporation COG Coalition Opposition Group CDC Cornmonwealth Development Corporation CPRF Community Peace and Restoration Fund CDF Constituency Development Fund DFAT Department of Foreign Affairs and lI'ade DBSI Development Bank of the Solomon Islands DSE Development Services Exchange EIS Environmental Impact Study EEZ Exclusive Economic Zone FFA Forum Fisheries Agency G D P gross do mestic product G NUR Group for National Unity and Reconciliation GRA Guadalcanal Revolutionary Army IMF International Monetary Fund IPMT International Peace Monitoring Team IFM Isatabu Freedom Movement MEF Malaita Eagle Force NFD National Fisheries Development Ltd NADEPA Nationalist (later the National Democratic) Party vi NCO non-government organisation PINA Pacific Islands News Association Pacnews Pacific Islands Broadcasting Association News Services PAP People's Alliance Party PNCDF Papua New Guinea Defence Force PPP Peoples Progress Party/Peoples Progressive Party RAMSI Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands ROC Republic of China (Taiwan) SIBC Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation SICA Solomon Islands Christian Association SICllE Solomon Islands College of Higher Education SIDT Solomon Islands Development Trust SIDAPPP Solomon Islands Development Administration and Participatory Planning Programme SINURPP Solomon Islands National Unity, Reconciliation and Progressive Party SIPL Solomon Islands Plantations Ltd SIUP United Solomon Islands Party SSEC South Sea Evangelical Church USIPA United Solomon Islands Party Association USP University of the South Pacific WPHC Western Pacific High Commission WWF World Wildlife Fund for Nature vii Acknowledgments 'Happy Isles' or 'I-bpi Isles' (the Pijjn English version) .is the tourism industry's tag for the Solomon Islands. After almost thirty years of associatioJl with the Solomon Islands, I have enough faith in the basic good sense of the people to believe that the title is still correct and that the crisis that beset the islands during 1998-2D03 will pass. \Nriting this book has not been easy, not least because the action it describes is still unfolding. Although I am conscious that words can do damage to the delicate process of rehabilitation that is taking place, so too can lack of information. This chronological account is intended to be part of the healing process. \Nhlle Solomon Islanders lived through events day-by-day, leaders and policy planners need to be able to put events into the perspective of the quarter-century since Independence in 1978. My connection to the Solomon Islands goes back to 1974 when I began research in the Australian Solomon Islands community. My first visit to the Solomon Islands was in 1976, and since then I have visited many times, and spent more than a year of my life there, adopted into a prominent Malaitan family. I have always followed contemporary events in the islands, even through my academic interests have usually been much rnore historical. One of the problems with attempting to describe the modern Solomon Islands is the lack of national sentiments and the predominance of regional loyalties above those of the nation. However, appreciation of history is probably more pronounced than in \Nestern societies. Genealogical and cultural history is central to all Solomon Islanders because historical knowledge of one's relationship to extended families and ancestral attachments to land is crucial to life. In the 1970s, I was astonished by the retention of detailed knowledge of the past, whether it was genealogies, talk of heroic ancestors and mythical figures, knowledge of the labour trade to Queensland and Fiji (which was my major focus), or the history of government on their island. My Malaitan family is not unique; their knowledge of history was typical of the generation which formed the bridge between the pre-contact and early Protectorate days and the modern Christian nation. viii Acknowledgments The history of the events since 1978, particularly over the last six years, is just as important a part of Solomons' culture as the earlier years. Understanding the turmoil of these recent years is essential for nation­ building. Future generations will want to know what happened when their nation was torn apart by dissent and violence. This book is based on newspaper accounts that I have collected over years, but mainly on sources gathered off the internet, supplemented by visits, discussions and my own knowledge of the Solomon Islands. It is my contribution to recording the recent history of the nation. Initially, I thought being based in Brisbane, without regular access to the local newspapers, would make it difficult to obtain sufficient sources. This proved untrue: modern media no longer consist of radio, television and newspapers bought over the counter. During the years of the low-intensity civil war and turmoil in the Solomon Islands, the electronic media became powerful and comprehensive. The Solornon Islands Broadcasting Corporation (SIBC) provides its news bulletins online, as do most major overseas newspapers, and press releases from government departments are also easy to access on the internet. Far from being starved of sources, I have collected an almost unmanageable amount. Solomon Islanders liVing overseas also watched with great concern as their nation convulsed. In mid 1999, they began an email chat line called Iu-MI-Nao, run at first OLlt of USP in Fiji by Zeloti Hoala, and then transferred to New Zealand for the long term under webmaster Paul Roughan. This has been supplemented more recently by the www.lifhaus.com site which provides an abundance of links to other sources of information about Solomon Islands. Students, diplomats and a variety of Solomon Islanders liVing overseas, as well as academics and others with interests In the islands participated in the Iu-Mi-Nao site. They debated reports of day-to-day occurrences and Issues ranging from media freedom to the possibility of reforming the nation as states in a federation. The network provided current information from SIBC news transcripts, Radio Australia and other news reports online, as well as texts of the various peace agreements. It also allowed individuals with a common heritage or interest, spread around the globe from Giza and Honiara to New York and Copenhagen, to feel they were able to play their part in the nation, even at a distance. Iu··Mi-Nao also provided a useful source of corrective information. The 'coconut radio' (gossip) has often been hard at work during the conflict, spreading misinforrnaUon or half-truths, some of which have been re-packaged as authentic news ix Happy Isles in Crisis by overseas reporters. Official sources are often silent or too cryptic to be clear on important matters. Comments aired on the Iu-Mi··Nao network provided useful correctives, and helped me avoid recording fiction or exaggeration as fact. In my reading of the Iu-Mi-Nao network I have come to admire the minds and actions of many of its participants. While this book is totally my own in terms of content and analysis, I wish to acknowledge the discussions that I have been privileged to read. Some individual contributors were more prolific and analytic then others, and although have not quoted directly from any contribution unless it was public access material, I read everything and owe a huge debt to many members of the group. Particular thanks are due to Angiki Angikinui Tau'aso, Don Angikiamo, Duran Angiki, Don Angikiamo, Geoff Muduioa, Tarcisius Tara Kabutaulaka, Peter Kenilorea Jr., Geoffrey Kaka, John Moffat Fugui, Geoff Muduioa, John Naitoro, John Roughan, Paul Roughan, .loses Sanga, Warren Tereqoroa, Julian Treadaway, Matthew Wale, and John Waki. 1;m:isius Tara Kabutaulaka has been outstanding in his contribution to debate on his nation.