Print

Mail

wiki links

Solomons claims riots were `planned'

Two members of the Australian Federal Police arrest a Solomon Islander yesterday who was reportedly part of a group that was headed to burn down the Kitano Mendana hotel in Honiara. PHOTO: AFP

The new Solomon Islands government said yesterday it believed riots which wracked the capital for two days were pre-planned.

The city was largely quiet yesterday following two days of rioting which broke out in Honiara when Snyder Rini was elected prime minister by fellow members of parliament (MPs), left parts of the capital in flames.

New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark said Rini had been formally installed by Governor-General Sir Nathaniel Waena yesterday morning, although the news was not made public in Honiara.

Interim government spokesman Edward Huniehu confirmed in a statement early yesterday evening that Rini had been sworn in.

Huniehu, an MP in Rini's coalition, said the rioting, which saw dozens of Chinese businesses burned and looted, was the result of misinformation put out by opposition politicians.

"We believe the reason for the opposition to give out the misinformation is purely to create hatred and enmity," he said. "We also believe the incidents had been pre-planned."

He denied opposition claims that Rini's supporters had bought votes to ensure the victory of Rini and that Taiwan had provided money to buy votes.

Honiara was generally peaceful yesterday.

Protesters were demanding that Rini stand down due to his alleged association with widespread corruption during years of civil unrest before an Australian-led armed intervention in 2003.

At the request of the Solomons' government, Australian Prime Minister John Howard deployed 110 troops and 70 Australian federal police to help restore order in the South Pacific nation. The deployment arrived on Wednesday.

New Zealand was also sending 30 soldiers and 20 police to the Solomons yesterday, while a further 20 police will come from Fiji.

Troops and both foreign and local police were patrolling the streets of the capital in large numbers yesterday to prevent crowds from forming.

Schools and banks remained closed, althought public transport, gasoline stations and health clinics had reopened.

Power was being restored to areas damaged by rioting.

Solomons Police Commissioner Shane Castles said the situation was calmer but added that an overnight curfew would be extended to last night.

Frightened residents were panic-buying food, government spokesman Johnson Honimae said.

"There is now fear that there will be a shortage of foodstuff after most of the stock in the Chinese shops has either been destroyed in the fires or looted by rioters."

Evacuated foreigners said they feared death during the violence.

New Zealander Ray Vuksich said he saw six local guards and two Australians arm themselves with machetes and baseball bats to beat back the rioters as they surged upstairs inside the Chinese-owned Pacific Casino hotel.

"We just got out by about 10 seconds," he told the Australian Associated Press. "It was deadly. We were concerned for our lives."

Robert Wales Feratelia, a leader of a group which demanded Rini step down, told the Solomon Star newspaper that Rini's refusal to quit would mean "further destruction of properties in the city."

Meanwhile, China has arranged shelter for about 500 nationals, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang (秦剛) said yesterday, in a sign of Beijing's growing diplomatic clout.

Chinese envoys were sent to Honiara from Papua New Guinea and arranged shelter for about 500 Chinese nationals, including five from Hong Kong, at the police headquarters compound, Qin said. He said China has asked Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea to provide assistance to its nationals in case of emergency.
This story has been viewed 2875 times.