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4.15

Solomon Islands

Presidential elections in 2006, the first development of governing, rule-of-law, and since the Australian-led Regional Assistance economic structures. Mission in the (RAMSI) de- The RAMSI presence yielded immediate ployed in 2003, sparked the worst violence the security benefits: GLF and MEF commanders archipelago has experienced since the mission’s surrendered by August 2003. Furthermore, arrival. Rioting in response to the election of the over 400 officers of the Royal Solomon Island unpopular in April 2006 was Police (RSIP) (about one-third of the active quelled by 400 RAMSI troops. However, this police service) were fired or pushed to retire, emergency deployment came after the razing of with some being placed on trial. The Partici- the capital city’s Chinatown district, the displace- pating Police Force (PPF) of RAMSI worked ment of thousands, and the resignation of Rini. in tandem with the remaining RSIP to The mission’s failure to anticipate the postelec- strengthen its capabilities and to reestablish tion violence, combined with the subsequent the force as a vital national institution. Since election of Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare in 2003, the 258 PPF personnel, alongside the May 2006, left RAMSI facing a government that RSIP, have established seventeen police posts was less accommodating than its predecessor. in all provinces and have begun training new In 1998, disputes over land rights on the police recruits at the RSIP police academy in main island of Guadalcanal led to violence Rove. between indigenous residents and settlers hail- Following the quick restoration of peace ing from the island of Malaitia—leaving hun- in its first year of deployment, RAMSI re- dreds dead and 20,000 Malaitians displaced. duced its military troop presence and switched Guadalcanal Liberation Front (GLF) militants, its focus to economic and governance reform. under the direction of Harold Keke, and the It placed eighteen advisers among the Ministry opposing Malaitia Eagle Force (MEF), terror- of Finance to assist the government in address- ized the government and citizenry in the capi- ing corruption and regaining control of rev- tal, . Many of these militants then enues and expenditures. RAMSI is mostly an enlisted in the government’s special constables Australian enterprise in personnel and finan- units, using government uniforms for militia cial resources, and Australians hold several top activities. posts within Solomon Island government, civil In response, Prime Minister Sir Alan service, and financial bodies. This overt pres- Kemakeza requested support from , ence and influence in state institutions has cre- and then took the matter to the Pacific Islands ated friction. Following the instability in April Forum (PIF). After notifying the UN Security 2006, Prime Minister Sogavare expressed his Council, the initial RAMSI force of 2,000 Aus- gratitude for RAMSI’s accomplishments, while tralian-led troops and police was deployed on also promising to review and limit the mis- 24 July 2003. Invited by the Solomon Island sion’s actions. The tensions between RAMSI parliament, RAMSI’s primary objective was to and its host reached new heights at the end of restore stability and assist in the continued the year when Sogavare expelled Australia’s

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SOLOMON ISLANDS • 135 REUTERS/Tim W imbor ne A New Zealand peacekeeper protects a convoy of trucks transporting civilians fleeing the riots of 23 April 2006.

top diplomat for alleged interference in the controversial investigation of the April riots. Regional Assistance Mission in the Solomon Islands (RAMSI) The prime minister also recommended a restructuring of the mission and threatened to expel it altogether. • Authorization date 23–30 October 2000 (Pacific Islands Forum Communiqué) The continued rebuilding of the Solomon • Start date July 2003 Islands in the face of a resistant Sogavare gov- • Head of mission Timothy George (Australia) ernment eager to achieve autonomy will pose • Budget $159.4 million (October 2005– great challenges for RAMSI in the coming September 2006) year. The majority of the emergency RAMSI • Strength as of Troops: 200 forces that deployed in April have been with- 30 September 2006 Civilian police: 320 drawn, but Australians maintain a high profile Civilian staff: 180 in Solomon Island affairs. The instability in April is indicative of the work still to be done if the country is to fully overcome its history of conflict and poor governance.