REBUILDING A NATION REBUILDING Ten Years of the Solomon Islands - RAMSI Partnership REBUILDING A NATION Ten Years of the Solomon Islands - RAMSI Partnership Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands P.O Box 1931, Honiara, Solomon Islands T (+677) 36249 E [email protected] W www.ramsi.org © Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands Reinvigorated Aug 4 June Office of August National Gender Audit the Auditor New Elections Report of General Correctional conducted March Correctional March completes Centres smoothly Services of National open in Auki, without First of 134 new Solomon March Solomon Islands Government Malaita major police houses Islands launched in accounts on Province incidents. formally handed Special Clerk to the time within over to RSIPF Coordinator’s Honiara. National Niuean the legislated officers and Award for Parliament, Participating Achievements May deadline their families Women 2012 Taeasi Sanga Police Officer, of the Solomon for the first in Honiara by honours presented Australia Sisiliah August Islands-RAMSI time since RAMSI’s Police career public with RAMSI commits Puleheloto partnership Independence Accommodation RAMSI Police servant Ruth Special AUD500 tragically lost Aug 12 feature in an in 1978. Project. withdraw Liloqula for Coordinator’s million in its in the Tongan Fatal shooting of a exhibition on from the first her fearless Award for 2013/2014 ferry disaster Solomon Islander Community Peacekeeping at provincial commitment Women 2013 budget for April is farewelled on the outskirts worker Mayline United Nations police post to for services to RAMSI, Partnership by her RAMSI of Honiara. First Sese Toghoa Headquarters, as part of transparent the National guaranteeing Framework colleagues time in seven year receives New York. transition at and Parliament the Mission’s between the in a moving deployment that the the Special Buala, Isabel accountable August and the police July 24 Solomon Islands ceremony actions of RAMSI Coordinator’s May Province. Government. component th Award for government. RAMSI 10 Government and at RAMSI New Court personnel operating New RSIPF another Women 2011 Anniversary. RAMSI endorsed Headquarters, Complex in the line of duty Provincial four years for her work by both parties GBR. opens in result in the death of a Police in Solomon with grassroots and the Forum Auki, Malaita Solomon Islander. Headquarters Islands. communities. Ministerial jointly funded opens Standing by Solomon in Isabel Committee on Islands and Province. RAMSI. RAMSI. 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 Dec Dec Nov 16 March April New Code Revenue Royal Inaugural Nov July 31 of Conduct collections Solomon Papua New Special RAMSI launched exceed Islands Final New Guinea Coordinator’s Military for Solomon SBD1billion Police Rapid Zealand platoon Defence Award for July Contingent Islands Public in 2010, the Response deployed as Force troops Women Leadership Code begins its Service with first time in Team lead part of RAMSI’s farewelled at presented to Commission and May 11 withdrawal assistance the history of the quelling military the Mission’s June 30 community Ombudsman’s as RAMSI from RAMSI. the nation. Dovetail of near-riot contingent leaves Headquarters Officemove RAMSI volunteer, Dialogue in Honiara Solomon Islands in Honiara. becomes a into new shared Development Beverely on RAMSI’s following the April after nearly a police-only facilities built by activities shift Komasi in transition election of decade-long mission. recognition of Solomon Islands Gizo to Australian March held between Gordon Darcy commitment by her efforts in and RAMSI Correctional and New Special the Solomon Lilo as Prime Centre and the New Zealand founding the June RAMSI: A History Zealand aid Coordinator’s Islands Minister. staff houses Defence Force. Mercy School Solomon in Pictures, programs Award for Government officially for children Islands photographic New Provincial and other Women and RAMSI commence of the National exhibition Police development presented to officials. construction. Burns Creek Parliament showcasing Headquarters partners. long-serving settlement Foreign the history and Mere Blong opens in Gizo, police officer, RAMSI Relations achievements Iumi, Stori Western Province Detective appoints Committee of the SI- RAMSI Blong Oketa, Inspector RSIPF receives Gender hears partnership documentary Florence Taro first equipment Adviser to evidence opens in Port Vila, capturing the recognising her under new strengthen from RAMSI Vanuatu as part of experiences contribution SBD7.7 million efforts on principals as the Pacific Islands of Solomon to improving RSIPF Mobility behalf of part of their Forum Leaders Islands the status of Plan funded women review of meeting. women women within jointly by the and men of RAMSI. produced by and without Solomon Islands Solomon the RAMSI the RSIPF Government and Islands Public RAMSI. Being The New Sound Affairs Unit First: Storis System premieres Blong Oloketa installed in on local One Mere lo National Television. Solomon Parliament. Aelan, the first book on Solomon Islands Women leaders launched with RAMSI’s assistance. Rebuilding A Nation: Ten Years of the Solomon Islands – RAMSI Partnership © Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI) 2013 www.ramsi.com First Published 2013 University of the South Pacific Library Cataloguing-in-Publication data Rebuilding a nation : ten years of the Solomon Islands – RAMSI partnership / RAMSI Public Affairs Unit. -- Honiara, Solomon Islands : Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI), 2013. 104 p. ; 21 x 28 cm. ISBN 978-982-9112-02-6 1. Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands. 2. Peacekeeping Forces--Solomon Islands. 3. Australia—Foreign relations—Solomon Islands. 4. Solomon Islands—Foreign relations—Australia. 5. Solomon Islands—Politics and government—21st century. I. Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands. Public Affairs Unit. DU850.R43 2013 995.93 Cover photos Front: A young visitor to the RAMSI Outreach stall at the 2007 Auki Tradeshow, Malaita, displays RAMSI’s signature face paint design. (Qila Tuhanuku) Back: The children of Nuhu village farewell a RAMSI Outreach team after a Wakabaot Tok Tok in the Shortland Islands, March 2011. (Tom Perry) Print: CanPrint, Canberra, Australia REBUILDING A NATION Ten Years of the Solomon Islands - RAMSI Partnership Editor: Mary Louise O’Callaghan Reporter: Johnson Honimae WƌŽĚƵĐƟŽŶ͗YŝůĂdƵŚĂŶƵŬƵ ĐŬŶŽǁůĞĚŐĞŵĞŶƚ RAMSI Public Affairs Unit would like to thank all those who have contributed to Rebuilding a Nation. In particular the authors of the various chapters for their excellent contributions. Thanks must also go to all those, both Solomon Islanders and RAMSI personnel past and present, who so generously gave of their time, thoughts and experiences, in the many interviews conducted during our research for this book and to the various photographers including Jeremy Miller, Tom Perry and Adrian Richardson who have contributed so much to the RAMSI photographic library over the past ten years. contents &ŽƌǁĂƌĚ ϭ Special Messages 2 Why RAMSI 5 Partnership 9 >ĂǁĂŶĚ:ƵƐƟĐĞ ϭϳ Policing 29 ĐŽŶŽŵLJ ϰϭ 'ŽǀĞƌŶĂŶĐĞ ϱϭ ZĞĐŽŶĐŝůŝĂƟŽŶ ϲϭ >ŽŽŬŝŶŐŚĞĂĚ ϲϵ ďŽƵƚZD^/ ϳϵ Timeline 94 WŽůŝĐĞŽĸĐĞƌƐĨƌŽŵĂƌŽƵŶĚƚŚĞWĂĐŝĮĐŚĂǀĞǁŽƌŬĞĚĐůŽƐĞůLJǁŝƚŚƚŚĞŝƌZŽLJĂů ^ŽůŽŵŽŶ/ƐůĂŶĚƐĐŽƵŶƚĞƌƉĂƌƚƐŽǀĞƌƚŚĞƉĂƐƚϭϬLJĞĂƌƐ͘,ĞƌĞƚŚĞLJƉŽƐĞǁŝƚŚƚŚĞϭϱ ŇĂŐƐŽĨƚŚĞWĂĐŝĮĐ/ƐůĂŶĚƐ&ŽƌƵŵŶĂƟŽŶƐƚŚĂƚĐŽŶƚƌŝďƵƚĞƉĞƌƐŽŶŶĞůƚŽZD^/ϷƐ WĂƌƟĐŝƉĂƟŶŐWŽůŝĐĞ&ŽƌĐĞ͘ vi &ŽƌĞǁŽƌĚ On 24 July 2003 the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI) came to Solomon Islands to restore law and order and to rebuild a devastated country. dŚĞŝŶŶŽǀĂƟǀĞĂŶĚƵŶŝƋƵĞůLJWĂĐŝĮĐŝŬĞƚĂǁĂĞĐůĂƌĂƟŽŶƉƌŽǀŝĚĞĚƚŚĞďĂƐŝƐĨŽƌƚŚĞŵŝƐƐŝŽŶ͘ĚŽƉƚĞĚďLJWĂĐŝĮĐ/ƐůĂŶĚ &ŽƌƵŵ>ĞĂĚĞƌƐĂƚƚŚĞŝƌĂŶŶƵĂůŵĞĞƟŶŐŚĞůĚŝŶ<ŝƌŝďĂƟŝŶϮϬϬϬ͕ƚŚĞĚĞĐůĂƌĂƟŽŶƉƌŽǀŝĚĞƐĂŵĞĐŚĂŶŝƐŵĨŽƌĐŽůůĞĐƟǀĞ ƌĞŐŝŽŶĂůĂĐƟŽŶŝŶƚŚĞĞǀĞŶƚŽĨĂƐĞĐƵƌŝƚLJĐƌŝƐŝƐ͘ tŝƚŚƚŚĞĂƌƌŝǀĂůŽĨZD^/͕ƚŚĞĚĞĐůĂƌĂƟŽŶ͛ƐƉƌŝŶĐŝƉůĞƐǁĞƌĞƚƌĂŶƐĨŽƌŵĞĚŝŶƚŽĂƉƌĂĐƟĐĂůǀĞŚŝĐůĞĨŽƌƌĞŐŝŽŶĂůƌĞƐƉŽŶƐĞ͕ ǁŝƚŚƚŚĞŵŝƐƐŝŽŶĚƌĂǁŝŶŐŽŶƚŚĞƐƵƉƉŽƌƚ͕ĞdžƉĞƌƟƐĞĂŶĚƌĞƐŽƵƌĐĞƐŽĨϭϱWĂĐŝĮĐŶĞŝŐŚďŽƵƌƐ͘ dŚĞƐĞĐŽƵŶƚƌŝĞƐĐĂŵĞƚŽŐĞƚŚĞƌƵŶĚĞƌƚŚĞůĞĂĚĞƌƐŚŝƉŽĨƵƐƚƌĂůŝĂƚŽŚĞůƉĞŵĨƌĞŶďĞĐĂƵƐĞǁĞĂůůďĞůŝĞǀĞƚŚĂƚƚŚĞWĂĐŝĮĐ ĐĂŶ͕ƐŚŽƵůĚĂŶĚǁŝůůďĞĂƌĞŐŝŽŶŽĨƉĞĂĐĞ͕ŚĂƌŵŽŶLJ͕ƐĞĐƵƌŝƚLJĂŶĚĞĐŽŶŽŵŝĐƉƌŽƐƉĞƌŝƚLJ͘tĞďĞůŝĞǀĞƚŚĂƚĂůůŽĨƚŚĞƌĞŐŝŽŶ͛Ɛ ƉĞŽƉůĞƐƐŚŽƵůĚďĞĨƌĞĞƚŽůĞĂĚǁŽƌƚŚǁŚŝůĞůŝǀĞƐ͘ ^ŽůŽŵŽŶ/ƐůĂŶĚƐŝƐŶŽǁĂƐƚĂďůĞĂŶĚƐĞĐƵƌĞĐŽƵŶƚƌLJ͕ŽƉĞŶĨŽƌďƵƐŝŶĞƐƐ͕ĂŶĚǁŝƚŚŝƚƐƉĞŽƉůĞůŝǀŝŶŐĨƌĞĞĨƌŽŵŝŶƟŵŝĚĂƟŽŶ͘ dŚĞƌƵůĞŽĨůĂǁŚĂƐďĞĞŶƌĞƐƚŽƌĞĚ͕ƚŚĞZŽLJĂů^ŽůŽŵŽŶ/ƐůĂŶĚƐWŽůŝĐĞ&ŽƌĐĞŝƐŐƌŽǁŝŶŐŝŶĐŽŶĮĚĞŶĐĞĂŶĚĐĂƉĂďŝůŝƚLJ͕ƚŚĞ ĐŽƵŶƚƌLJ͛ƐĮŶĂŶĐĞƐĂƌĞŝŵƉƌŽǀŝŶŐ͕ŶĂƟŽŶĂůŝŶƐƟƚƵƟŽŶƐĂƌĞďĞƩĞƌĂƚĚĞůŝǀĞƌŝŶŐƐĞƌǀŝĐĞƐĂŶĚƚŚĞĞĐŽŶŽŵLJŝƐŐƌŽǁŝŶŐ͘ dŚĞƐĞĐŚĂŶŐĞƐĂƌĞƚŚĞƌĞƐƵůƚŽĨƚŚĞ'ŽǀĞƌŶŵĞŶƚĂŶĚƉĞŽƉůĞŽĨ^ŽůŽŵŽŶ/ƐůĂŶĚƐǁŽƌŬŝŶŐŚĂƌĚĂŶĚŝŶƉĂƌƚŶĞƌƐŚŝƉǁŝƚŚ ZD^/ƚŽŵĂŬĞƚŚĞŝƌĐŽƵŶƚƌLJĂďĞƩĞƌ͕ƐĂĨĞƌĂŶĚŵŽƌĞƉƌŽƐƉĞƌŽƵƐƉůĂĐĞ͘dŚĞĐŚĂŶŐĞƐĂƌĞĂůƐŽƚŚĞƌĞƐƵůƚŽĨƚŚĞƐƚƌŽŶŐ WĂĐŝĮĐĐŽŵŵŝƚŵĞŶƚƚŽZD^/ĨƌŽŵƚŚĞĐŽŶƚƌŝďƵƟŶŐĐŽƵŶƚƌŝĞƐŽĨƚŚĞWĂĐŝĮĐ/ƐůĂŶĚƐ&ŽƌƵŵ͘ ZD^/͛ƐƌĞŐŝŽŶĂůŶĂƚƵƌĞŚĂƐďĞĞŶƚŚĞŬĞLJƚŽŝƚƐƐƵĐĐĞƐƐ͘dŚĞĚŝǀĞƌƐŝƚLJŽĨƉĞŽƉůĞ͕ĐƵůƚƵƌĞƐĂŶĚĐŽƵŶƚƌŝĞƐŽĨƚŚĞWĂĐŝĮĐŚĂǀĞ ĐŽŵďŝŶĞĚƚŽŵĂŬĞĂŐƌĞĂƚĐŽŶƚƌŝďƵƟŽŶƚŽƚŚĞŵŝƐƐŝŽŶ͘ dŚƌŽƵŐŚŽƵƚƚŚĞůŝĨĞŽĨZD^/͕ƚŚĞWĂĐŝĮĐ/ƐůĂŶĚƐ&ŽƌƵŵŚĂƐƉůĂLJĞĚĂŶŝŵƉŽƌƚĂŶƚŽǀĞƌƐŝŐŚƚƌŽůĞĂŶĚŚĂƐǁŽƌŬĞĚǁŝƚŚďŽƚŚ ZD^/ĂŶĚƚŚĞ^ŽůŽŵŽŶ/ƐůĂŶĚƐ'ŽǀĞƌŶŵĞŶƚƚŽĞŶƐƵƌĞƚŚĞƌĞůĂƟŽŶƐŚŝƉŵŽǀĞƐĨŽƌǁĂƌĚŝŶĂĐŽŶƐƚƌƵĐƟǀĞĂŶĚƉŽƐŝƟǀĞǁĂLJ͘ ZD^/ŝƐƚŚĞƐƵĐĐĞƐƐƐƚŽƌLJƚŚĂƚĂůůŽĨƚŚĞWĂĐŝĮĐĐĂŶďĞƉƌŽƵĚŽĨ͘/ƚŝƐĂŵŽĚĞůŽĨƌĞŐŝŽŶĂůĐŽŽƉĞƌĂƟŽŶĨŽƌƚŚĞǁŽƌůĚƚŽ ĨŽůůŽǁ͘ dŚŝƐŬůĞƚŝƐĂƚƌŝďƵƚĞƚŽƚŚĞ'ŽǀĞƌŶŵĞŶƚĂŶĚƉĞŽƉůĞŽĨ^ŽůŽŵŽŶ/ƐůĂŶĚƐĂŶĚƚŽĂůůŽĨƚŚŽƐĞƉĞŽƉůĞ͕ĨƌŽŵĂůůWĂĐŝĮĐ /ƐůĂŶĚĐŽƵŶƚƌŝĞƐ͕ǁŚŽŚĂǀĞǁŽƌŬĞĚƐŝĚĞďLJƐŝĚĞǁŝƚŚ^ŽůŽŵŽŶ/ƐůĂŶĚĞƌƐʹĂƐĐŝǀŝůŝĂŶƐ͕ƐŽůĚŝĞƌƐĂŶĚƉŽůŝĐĞŽĸĐĞƌƐ͘ dŚĞƉŚŽƚŽƐĂŶĚƐƚŽƌŝĞƐŝŶƚŚŝƐŬůĞƚĂůůŽǁƵƐƚŽƌĞŵĞŵďĞƌǁŚĂƚŚĂƐďĞĞŶĂĐŚŝĞǀĞĚŽǀĞƌƚŚĞĮƌƐƚƚĞŶLJĞĂƌƐŽĨƚŚĞ ŵŝƐƐŝŽŶ͕ĂŶĚĂůƐŽƚŽƌĞŇĞĐƚŽŶǁŚĂƚůŝĞƐĂŚĞĂĚ͘