Golublog: An Anthropology Blog

The Solomon Islands have been in the news a lot lately. I’ve visited the country just briefly and my colleague Tara Kabutaulaka has “spoken his own piece”:http://www.eastwestcenter.org/events-en-detail.asp?news_ID=318 on what has happened recently. One source of my knowledge about what’s been going on has been from Terry Brown, the Anglican bishop of “Malaita”:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malaita (and contributor to the excellent full-text archive of Oceania stuff at “Project Canterbury”:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auki, who has been emailing pretty regularly to describe what his experience of the trouble is from Malaita. With his permission I’m reproducing some emails from him regarding what happened in “Auki”:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auki this April. Read on for more from Terry:

*17 April 2006*
Friends,

Just a note to keep your ear to the radio and other media, as with the announcement of Snyder Rini (backed by the former PM, Kemakeza) as new Prime Minister, the crowd around Parliament went crazy, breaking Parliament windows, barricading the Governor General and Members of Parliament in the building (I think they are still there), destroyed vehicles (including quite a few RAMSI vehicles, and possibly one RAMSI injury), and have looted stores in Honiara belonging to Tommy Chan, the Chinese eminence grise behind the party and coalition led by Rini and Kemakeza. I am writing from Auki, which is quiet, though there is much disappointment here too with the result of the PM election. The two old guard groups, led by Rini/Kemakeza and Sogavare respectively, backed by Chinese business interests, have banded together to prevent the new generation of cleaner politicians from emerging. And as RAMSI has been so identified with the Kemakeza government, they are now feeling the heat. It remains to be seen whether RAMSI and the police will get hold of public order in Honiara tonight, or whether RAMSI troops will have to be flown in from Australia. The crowds are demanding that the new PM resign immediately but he is refusing. Democracy has flaws in the Solomons! Bishop Terry Brown.

*18 April 2006*
Dear Friends,

Rioting is continuing in Honiara this morning, with Chinese businesses targeted, especially new developments. Pacific Casino is now under attack and marchers are headed for Parliament. All are demanding the resignation of the new Prime Minister. He refuses to resign. (If he continues to refuse, the Parliament building will probably be torched.) Overnight, Chinatown and various other Chinese stores in Point Cruz and around Honiara were torched. There are roadblocks all about, both RSIP/RAMSI and local people (e.g., Fishing Village). The Speaker of Parliament and Governor General have been on the radio pleading for calm but to no avail. I have heard a report that the number of RAMSI personnel injured is 20, and at least nine RAMSI vehicles have been destroyed. In some cases, police are doing nothing and letting the rioters go ahead, as they are beyond the power of the police. I have heard a report that 500 troops are on the way from Australia. We have had various phone calls from Honiara and the situation sounds grim and basically still out of control.

Decades of bitterness against the Chinese community for its wealth, its abusive behaviour towards Melanesian staff, its “buying” of successive national governments (including, most likely, this one), its apparent immunity from RAMSI investigation (I think the feeling is that if Tommy Chan had been a Malaitan, he’d been in prison by now), its involvement in highly lucrative resource extraction, the larges sums of money taken out of the country illegally, etc., etc., finally came to the fore, sparked by the result of yesterday’s Prime Ministerial election. The talk here is of “stage two” in the “ethnic tension” process, Solomon Islands vs. Chinese.

We also had our small riot last night in Auki, with a gang of youths shooting stones at a RAMSI vehicle, the fire truck (whose megaphone they were using) and a selected Chinese store whose owner is well known for being particularly abuse to local Melanesian staff. Local RSIP police calmed down the crowd. I tried to go down to help calm them down but was stopped by RAMSI. (We have had, apparently, yet another change of RAMSI personnel, and I do not know this lot. Their constant changes of personnel mean that no empathy or friendship develops with local people.) But we will be affected by Honiara events as many of the Chinese shops here are branches of (now destroyed) shops in Honiara’s Chinatown. (The local excuse here was that the “waku- [Chinese] supported candidate” won the PM election.)

Today, all the Chinese shops in Auki are shut tight, as they are deeply affected by the situation in Honiara. We will work to see that rioting does not break out here again tonight.

I am afraid that in Auki, the general feeling of many on the streets is “they had it coming to them”, especially the egregious involvement of Chinese businessmen and money in election of the last and now new government of Kemakeza/Rini, whose “sweetheart” arrangements have greatly enriched some in the Chinese community and the politicians themselves. Of course, there is sadness about the violence and the effect on the country economically. The influx of more and more “new” Chinese, moving, for example, into transportation and taxi sector, has seen Melanesians feeling more and more on the economic bottom of their own country. I think years of being bossed by the Chinese “Missus” on her high chair at the cash register has finally got to people.

The Solomon Islands democratic process remains seriously flawed. While the election itself went well, corruption still remains in the election registration process, with registration officers removing new names from voting lists of those they know will not support their candidate (often the names of young people — a complaint I have been hearing in Malaita — many young people who signed up to vote for the first time, went to the polling station only to find that their names were not on the list). The registration officer in Auki simply did no work — the position is a sinecure for provincial employees. The selection process for Prime Minister is also flawed. Winning candidates with major campaign debts arrive in Honiara and are easily tempted by (Chinese) offers to pay off their campaign debts if they support such-and-such a candidate, even if they have denounced that candidate to get elected. (ABC news reports that over 50% of winning candidates in this election won with less than 30% of the vote in their constituencies, the result of extremely low election registration fees, whereby every “favourite son” candidate runs.) The parliamentary secret ballot in election of PM means no one is accountable for his (alas, only his) vote — the MP can make two or three sets of conflicting promises to two or three “parties” but as no one knows how he votes, he ends up a “winner” in any case. And so forth.

The events of yesterday and today will set back the Solomons economically again and I would think there might be a danger of food shortages in Honiara and even provincial towns. The economy is entirely dependent on the Chinese and with their absence, we are quite back to square one. But many in the Chinese community have abused their wealth and positions, and the result we see today.

Bishop Terry Brown
Diocese of Malaita,
Auki, Malaita Province

*19 April 2006*
Dear Friends,

As feared, we had a disturbance in Auki this evening but it has turned out well, in so far as such things can turn out. The police worked hard today, discouraging any plans to riot or loot this evening. However, obviously one group sequestered themselves drinking. I went for a walk around town about 7:30 p.m. and it was quiet, but suddenly there was the sound of stones hitting iron roofs and doors of shops and shouting and swearing. The group advanced from the market towards the police station, shooting at the lights on the verandahs of the stores.

The police (RSIP and RAMSI) organized themselves with riot gear (I suspect the first time deployed in Auki) and took on the group, backed by the general population of Auki, a few of the latter shooting stones on behalf of the police. Having seen what has happened in Honiara, and also having fairly good relations with our local Chinese, there was no interest in the general population in joining the group causing the disturbance. The police made nine arrests, although some escaped. At least one was an ex-MEF and another part of the group that burnt our Cathedral altar a few years ago. They all appeared to be drunk. The police thanked the crowd afterwards for their support and orderliness.

So, fortunately, Auki at least is behaving sensibly. The “rioters”, in this case, were shooting stones at anyone in their path and not distinguishing between Chinese and SI-owned stores or individuals. Goodnight from a quiet Auki. Bishop Terry Brown.

_(and a little later on in the day…)_

Dear Friends,

For a good local account of the burning down of the Pacific Casino hotel complex in Honiara, see http://www.solomonline.com/?q=node/98#comment. It’s a bit silly at times, but it is a good website to follow.

Number of arrested from last night’s disturbance in Auki has gone up to 16. This is a small place and people are easily recognized.

I would think that the public tide might turn in Honiara if the rioters begin attacking government buildings. One only hopes that RSIP/RAMSI have some plans to protect them. Most of the new Chinese hotels, casinos and other developments — all under threat if not destroyed — were built with bribes to successive SI governments, shady land deals, profits from illegal land transfers, etc.

Bishop Terry Brown

*21 April 2006*
Dear Friends,

I do not have much to report, but a few reflections and bits of news on the Solomons situation.

(1) A contingent of 10 RAMSI military (New Zealanders for sure, possibly others) have arrived in Auki. Yesterday they patrolled the streets of downtown Auki in full battle gear, fully armed. Obviously the full show of force is to make people think twice about causing any disturbance, especially at night. The last two nights have been quiet. In the end up to 16 were arrested in the Auki disturbance on Wednesday night. One Chinese shop (the one I mentioned in a previous update) was broken into and goods stolen. The owner and some of our other “new” Chinese fled to Honiara on Thursday morning. All the Chinese stores remain closed, although we are urging them to re-open as soon as possible. Of course, they are affected by events in Honiara. My impression is that the Honiara rioters distinguished between “old” and “new” Chinese buildings (QQQ in Chinatown was untouched), so our “old” Chinese stores in Auki may be in better shape than others. Long term though, Langa Langa vs. Chinese business rivalry in Auki will continue, and there will always be some in the former community who would like the latter simply to disappear. But Auki and Malaita are a big market, and there should be enough room for everyone. Banks finally re-opened and what little rice is still available has taken a big leap in price. Today’s Saturday morning market is going ahead full force as though nothing had happened (no RAMSI presence). The only difference is that the two or three large ships that usually come from Honiara Friday night have not arrived — obviously stopped by the police/RAMSI to prevent loot flowing out to the provinces (one load arrived yesterday) and gawkers and would-be rioters flowing into Honiara. As rural Malaitans have had their ears to the radio all last week (the FM station used its “call in” system to report the location of the mob and their arson and looting, while SIBC reported very little), many have come to Auki hoping to go to Honiara today to see the sights.

The Asian road workers on the Asian Development Bank-funded Kitano Malaita road-building project were also evacuated. It remains unclear to me why the ADB/Kitano has imported road workers from Cambodia and the Philippines to rebuild Malaita’s roads (some sort of internal Asian agenda, I suppose), as though we don’t have people in Malaita who can build roads. This is part of the feeling that everyone but Solomon Islanders are somehow making a profit out of our troubles (including, of course, all the NGOs, RAMSI advisors, consultants, volunteers, etc.).

(2) As far as Honiara events are concerned, the “spark” that sent the rioters into central Honiara from Parliament, the use of tear gas by the Australian RAMSI contingent against the crowd around Parliament who were becoming rowdy after the announcement of Snyder Rini’s election, needs to be investigated. The Speaker of Parliament and leaders of the parties were apparently preparing to address the crowd and calm them down (the exact same rowdiness developed after the announcement of Allan Kemakeza’s election as PM five years ago but was dissipated) when, apparently unannounced and without warning, the RAMSI tear gas hit. Sir Peter has complained about this on the Australian media and others have picked it up. It is cited as an example of Australian RAMSI’s over-reaction to events that look like they might turn violent. All through the riots, the use of tear gas only inflamed and increased the crowds.

(3) The rioting and looting crowds were made up of people from all provinces, including some women and children. While Robert Wale, the leader of the so-called “People Power” movement is from Malaita (Langa Langa), participation was from all provinces and it would be wrong to see the rioting as some sort of continuation of a Malaita Eagle Force plot. The rumors that Edmund Sae, for example, is in Honiara leading the troops are, I am fairly certain, untrue. (I am afraid he has acquired a Jon Frum-like persona in these kinds of events.) Robert Wale, it should be said, is not exactly a Corazon Aquino. He is a former member of the Honiara Town Council and his record there was not especially clean. I am sure that he must have lost out in some of the land deals that saw so much of Honiara’s prime sea front land sold to the Chinese by dubious means. I would think Wale would/should be arrested down the line, for incitement to riot. His media pronouncements are taking a high moral road but his record does not especially justify it.

(4) Honiara people have never liked the Australian RAMSI contingent. Most people distinguish between the Australian RAMSI (whom they don’t like) and the New Zealand and Pacific Islands RAMSI (whom they do like). The general feeling is that the RAMSI motto “Helpim fren” doesn’t hold much water when the Australian RAMSI are so sullen and hostile, won’t even say hello, speed up and down the streets without regard for the other traffic, won’t allow the use of RAMSI helicopters and planes for humanitarian purposes, and hang out at all the expensive Chinese restaurants (some of them now destroyed, such as the Fortune Restaurant in the Pacific Casino Hotel complex) and the Green Mango and won’t go near local eateries or the central market. (I heard a story yesterday that, indeed, RAMSI assisted financially Patrick Leong in the completion of the construction of the Pacific Casino Hotel, to house its personnel. It certainly has never attracted overseas tourists the way the hotels with casinos do in Vanuatu. The story needs to be checked out. There are also lots of stories about PCH being a centre of prostitution, which may well have involved RAMSI personnel. The “evacuation” of the Pacific Casino Hotel’s “guests” by boat may well have been simply the evacuation of RAMSI personnel from the hotel.) I have always wondered if there was any money laundrying involved in all the new Chinese developments.)

So, for many reasons, the alliance of the (1) Kemekeza/Rini (corrupt) government, (2) the extensive and expensive Chinese commercial developments in Honiara, from before “ethnic tension”, then interrupted, then resumed, while ordinary local Honiara people get poorer and poorer as the prices at the Chinese shops go up and up, and (3) RAMSI, friend of the Kemakeza/Rini government and the Chinese, (perceived as) hostile to Malaitans, unfriendly Australians, etc, etc. — all united together in the riots. I have heard that 15 RAMSI vehicles were destroyed, not to mention the Pacific Casinos’ entire rent-a-car fleet, 20 RAMSI injured (one sent back to Australia for serious jaw injuries from a stone). I am told that Reef Islanders can shoot a RAMSI helicopter with a stone. There were some failures of RAMSI intelligence — half of Solomon Islanders are saltwater people and it is a bit inconceivable that the sea side of the Pacific Casino Hotel was left unprotected.

The properties (commercial, offices, residences) of the Kemekeza/Rini government’s Chinese advisors and backers (for example, Tommy Chan, Robert Goh, Patrick Leong) were particularly targeted for destruction. The Honiara Hotel (Tommy Chan) has its own security and has survived, though there were rumours of an attack from over the hill behind the hotel. There were also rumours that the Mendana Hotel was on the hit list.

None of what I have written above is intended to condone or support the rioting. It is tragic, both for the individuals involved (on all sides) and for the country. For the Solomons claiming to be a “Christian country”, it is a travesty of the Easter message, as church leaders have pointed out in pastoral statements. But legitimate frustrations are there and people explode. Alas, we are now producing refugees, with 400 Chinese living at the Police Club at Rove under police/RAMSI security.

(5) The new Prime Minister’s media statements that the rioting had no political motivation and was simply criminal activity rather boggle the mind, although obviously those with non-political motives joined in for the free loot.

Despite the demands of Robert Wale and the “People Power” movement, I think the considered view of all members of Parliament, premiers, church leaders, diplomatic community, is that Parliament should meet and that any attempt to oust Rini as Prime Minister should be done constitutionally. In many respects, the announced cabinet contains some very good people, such as Fred Fono, the Deputy Prime Minister. Forcing a PM to resign by public protests, when he has been constitutionally elected (despite corruption), sets rather a bad precedent, such that every future election will face the same problem and the same hope by the losing party. If there were substantial bribes made (whether accepted or not) by the Rini camp and Tommy Chan, as Opposition leader Billy Hilly maintains, then the matter should be reported to the police; but whether the police and RAMSI have the wherewithal and will to follow up on and investigate these claims remains to be seen.

One issue in all of this is the extent to which Australia has interfered in the parliamentary process in the Solomons. For example, Fred Fono, the well-respected Malaita MP who for several years was a strong member of the Opposition, crossed over to the Kemekeza government a couple years ago to everyone’s surprise. When accosted by his supporters about this, he maintained that he was asked to do this by the British and Australian High Commissions to give financial and administrative stability to the Kemakeza government to enable EC STABEX funds to be transferred. He is now the new Deputy Prime Minister, set to take over if Rini is dumped. If this story is true, it is another example of the diplomatic community’s short-, rather than long-term thinking. Between this kind of interference and RAMSI, the SI risk becoming an Australian puppet state (at least that is the perception, though, of course, Australia and RAMSI strongly deny it) — but, as last week’s events show, it is hard to control all the people who feel that they are part of a puppet state (whether it is a puppet state or not), especially as the conditions of their economic life go down and down, and those perceived as pulling the strings and their helpers seem to get richer and richer.

(5) The arrival of a PNG police contingent begs many questions. I wonder if it is even in Australia’s best interest, as PNG RAMSI personnel are well known for complaining about Australia, and only help to fan anti-Australian sentiment within RSIP and the communities where they serve. I am told that one of the first lots of PNG RAMSI personnel (when RAMSI first arrived) were sent home fast after they set up a prostitution ring. But PNG RAMSI personnel are liked much more than Australian RAMSI; they are fellow Pacific Islanders.

(6) To RAMSI’s credit, there has been no firing on crowds, though I am sure many would have liked to have, given the barrage of stones. Had this been many other parts of the world, there would have been deaths. Unfortunately, the crowds also probably took advantage of the knowledge that RAMSI would not shoot *at* them. However, a core question remains why a multinational intervention force and the local police force it is supposed to be training and advising, led by a nation with high technology and unlimited financial resources, good communication and transport, and numerous advisors and consultants, were not able to anticipate and control (and, indeed, may have provoked) a small demonstration that got out of hand, not bringing in reinforcements very early (as RAMSI said they could when most military personnel left the country), not containing the demonstrators very early, not acting decisively in any way — resulting eventually in a scale of damage, personal and material, immensely beyond anything that resulted from the “ethnic tension” crisis. “Helpim fren” has turned into “Spoilim fren”. Is RAMSI only “rapid response” (late) after crisis, quick withdrawal, self-satisfaction, confusion when a new crisis comes, then another (late) “rapid response”? Of course, it is easy to criticize after the fact. Even veteran ABC reporter Sean Dorney had left for Australia after covering the elections and did not anticipate such events. Nor can I say I anticipated them, though I have long thought and said that anti-Chinese riots were always a possibility. I think most people anticipated that the “Grand Coalition of Parties” had enough votes to win and did not realize the capacity of the two “old” groupings usually in opposition to one another to band together to defeat it.

I think the road ahead will continue to be rocky. Australia and RAMSI need independently to assess where they now are, and not just uncritically back the elected government, whose mandate is weak indeed. (Such a consultation and assessment should be done with real Solomon Islands organizations on the ground — such as churches and community groups, rather than by highly paid outside advisors. Even RAMSI’s own consultation has been defective, very short and rushed visits and a quick exit when the difficult questions begin to be asked.) One only wishes that RAMSI could get away from its constant defensiveness — that it is always right and does nothing wrong — and admit to its mistakes, and not engage in constant self-promotion, which has now royally backfired. I think all would do well to back off a bit, rather than constant tinkering and interference — courting favourite members of the government or opposition, insisting on an Australian Police Commissioner, producing an ever-creasing number of advisors (also travelling by helicopter), etc. The riots are a reassertion of Solomon Islands sovereignty, which has been significantly eroded in the past few years, though, unfortunately, it apparently takes a common enemy to unite all Solomon Islanders. On the other hand, the RAMSI presence is still needed, I would say — particularly if parliamentary government is to continue — as the alternatives (as last week’s events show) are also not very attractive. But the future economic effects on the country of last week’s events, at least short term, are grave and it will take much effort to keep things on a steady keel.

Thank you for your messages of concern and support. I am off to Honiara tomorrow for a couple days of Church meetings (it is “business as usual” for the Church of Melanesia, having survived MEF-occupied Honiara and the aftermath) and will report after that visit. Warm wishes, Bishop Terry Brown, Bishop of Malaita, Auki, Malaita Province.

*23 April 2006*
Dear Friends,

Just a few notes from Honiara on a Monday morning.

(1) It is now half past ten and there hasn’t been a moment since I woke up that there have not been helicopters circling overhead, some of them quite low. I suppose this is part of the RAMSI big-stick approach. The Parliament is meeting to elect a Deputy Speaker (Sir Peter Kenilorea returns unopposed as Speaker) and perhaps begin to deal with the vote of no confidence. Surely the Government’s strategy will be to be to paint the Opposition responsible for the rioting. The PM denies that his Government has ever been involved in corruption or that there is any political significance in what happened last week on the streets of Honiara.

(2) Virtually all shops at Point Cruz, from the National Museum to the Central Market are closed, boarded up, and, of course, one big building near the market is burnt out. And, of course Chinatown is out of the picture. The Central Market is opening and functioning as are the small locally-leased shops there. Unless shops reopen, people will be hungry very soon. Already, people are finding it hard to find food. Banks and airlines are about all that are open. And the Hot Bread Shop.

(3) Rick Hou, Governor of the Central Bank, was on the radio this morning, outlining the economic effects of what has happened — inflation, plunging dollar, unemployment, lack of investment, etc. Already, the SI dollar has taken a big dive.

(4) The police are investigating those who instigated the riots, and have arrested at least one Member of Parliament. Robert Wale, the “People’s Power” spokesperson has been arrested and was not granted bail. The town is full of rumours of who is behind it all.

(5) I have heard a certain amount of anger at RAMSI for just standing around doing nothing as the breaking into shops and looting went ahead at Point Cruz. Apparently no warning shots were ever fired. It seems amazing that rioting went on for days without RAMSI being able to contain it. (Only RAMSI is armed; the local police have effectively been disarmed post-ethnic tension.)

(6) A city that contains only people but minimal economic activity cannot survive long, and I wonder if we are looking at a lot of people eventually returning to their home islands. However, for the moment, not even that is possible, as ships are not allowed to sail as the police look for instigators, looters and loot.

Bishop Terry Brown

*27 April 2006*
Dear Friends,

I write simply a short update on the Solomons situation. I have returned to Auki after four days in Honiara. Auki is returning to normal, with most of the Chinese stores re-opened and the town full of people. Still shipping between Auki and Honiara is somewhat limited, as police try to prevent the flow of suspects and stolen property from Honiara back to Malaita. During my absence, we had a visit from a New Zealand patrol boat but it has gone back. There are a lot of RAMSI personnel about and the town is quiet.

In Honiara, as the Archbishop is away in England, I represented the Church of Melanesia in an initiative of the Governor General for the SICA (Solomon Islands Christian Association) church heads to meet with the Prime Minister and Opposition. So on Tuesday afternoon, led by Bishop Philemon Riti (new General Secretary of SICA and former Moderator of the United Church of the SI) and Archbishop Adrian Smith (RC Archbishop of Honiara), we met alone with the Prime Minister in the Cabinet chambers for an hour, then with the Opposition leader and the full Opposition Caucus at the Iron Bottom Sound Motel. I think we were fairly frank with both parties. On Wednesday morning we met with the Commissioner of Prisons (a RAMSI appointment), the Deputy Coordinator of RAMSI and the Australian High Commissioner. As we were meeting with the latter two, the horns began blaring around Honiara, indicating that the Prime Minister had resigned. As has been reported, Manasseh Sogavare and his Guadalcanal bloc (including some Ministers in new Government) crossed over to the Opposition. When the Prime Minister realized he no longer had the numbers to win the upcoming vote of no confidence, he resigned. This crossover and the PM’s resignation probably prevented another round of Honiara violence, although RAMSI security was very high, with Parliament cordoned off, helicopters all over the place and companies of armed RAMSI military personnel placed in strategic places around town. With the PM’s resignation, Honiara broke out in celebration (even a parade with a float) and a few stores re-opened. The price the Opposition had to pay was to sacrifice their leader, Joel Tausinga, and offer the Opposition leadership to Sogavare.

Out of the police investigation of the riots, two Opposition Members of Parliament have been arrested. The Opposition claimed RAMSI interference in the Parliamentary process, in effect, favouring the Rini Government by depriving the Opposition of two votes on the floor of Parliament, especially as up until now RAMSI has gone rather easy with Kemakeza and Rini despite all the criminal allegations against them. However, the allegations are very serious, with witnesses, and one of the two already has a criminal record (not to mention a major reputation for corruption rivaling that of those the Opposition are opposing) and if the Opposition has any sense, should expel him. In the end, the decision whether to release or bail out the two to enable them to take part in the Parliamentary process over the next few days has not been a RAMSI one but been left to the High Court, which as of today, is refusing bail (a decision I agree with). However, the Opposition managed to bring down the government without those two votes.

The rumours are that Sogavare has been promised the nomination as Prime Minister by the Opposition. If this is true, it is highly problematic. Sogavare took over as Prime Minister after the Malaita Eagle Force coup in 2000 and there are many indications that he knew the coup was coming and even encouraged it. (It has hard to imagine him and Bart Ulufa’alu, the PM deposed in the coup as bedfellows, but as they say, ….) Sogavare has told people that he has been guided in his political activities by communicating with the spirit of the deceased former PM, Solomon Mamaloni, who has told him that at all costs he must stay in power. As leader of the Social Credit Party, he has some strange economic ideas. I cannot imagine that the international community would be happy with him and that he was the first to be eliminated in the election for PM last week suggests that in a secret ballot he would lose. This coming weekend will be spent in another round of negotiations to produce the list of PM candidates for the election of a new PM by Parliament early next week. If the outgoing government can produce a candidate untainted by corruption, they may still have a chance. It is sad that the old generation simply will not step down to let new people take over.

Of course, there is much soul searching, especially by the churches (by even by the general public, as almost all of Honiara’s stores remain closed). Many simply stood and watched, but there were cases of whole families, students in school uniforms, children, the elderly, etc., participating in the looting. The destruction, as I mentioned, was especially directed at the “new” Chinese and most of the “older” Chinese stores in Chinatown were not targeted. This suggests some planning. There was no loss of life, and there were tales of heroism of ordinary Solomon Islanders’ assisting Chinese to swim across the Mataniko River away from the burning buildings. There have been many volunteer Red Cross workers and much food and clothing have been brought to the Rove Police Club. Numbers there are going down as Chinese families are flown out or return to their homes, as the security situation has improved dramatically with the removal of the PM. It is hoped that those Chinese who opt to stay will begin re-opening their shops. (Many of their local staff have remained loyal and are guarding the premises.) One big question is whether insurance will cover the losses.

However, emblematic of the problem are some statistics that reliable banking friends have shared with me. On the Friday after the riots, when the banks reopened, the ANZ Bank in downtown Honiara at Point Cruz had SI$24 million (US$ 3 million) in cash deposits, while the NBSI had SI$10 million in cash deposits, mostly from Chinese. If one adds the unknown figure deposited at Westpac, one might be looking at SI$50 million (US$6 million) from the Chinese community suddenly coming out of hiding. (One depositor alone is said to have made a SI$6 million deposit.) On a smaller scale this phenomenon was true even in Auki. My impression is that the Chinese have never entirely trusted the banks (not wanting their wealth to be known, perhaps evading the tax man, making it easier to deal in overseas currency transactions ad hoc, etc.). Of course, many Chinese hope to remit these funds to Australia and other places overseas but the Central Bank and commercial banks have put strict controls on how much money can be sent out of the country at this time. (The economy has been steadily improving and the country presently has good overseas reserves.) At the same time, it has been pointed out that Patrick Leong, naturalised Chinese owner of the Pacific Casino Hotel complex, though he has lost millions, never ever paid a cent of tax to the Solomon Islands government. While RAMSI advisors have come into the Ministry of Finance, forcing compliance in tax payments by local businesses (and churches), their arm has not reached to the Chinese business interests protected by the previous government, where the real money is.

Much more can be said. There seem to be good supplies of rice, other foodstuffs and fresh produce. Some Chinese wholesalers have reopened in (new) Chinatown. It is the retail sector that has taken the hit. But if things stabilize, I think Honiara will recover. But many consciences and programmes (or lack of them) need to be examined, including those of the churches, the government, foreign governments and NGOs, in their failure to make much of a dent on the large population of unemployed or underemployed male youths in Honiara. They have finally, unfortunately violently, stood up and said “we are important too”.

Thank you for all your messages of support and encouragement. Bishop Terry Brown