Hostage Solomons PM offers to resign

By NAOMI LARKIN and CHRIS DANIELS

Solomon Islands Prime Minister Bartholomew Ulufa'alu, who is being held at gunpoint by militia, late last night offered to resign to save his country from bloodshed.

"He has indicated a willingness to step aside if that is the price for peace," said Minister of State Alfred Sasako.

"He hasn't resigned yet, he has merely indicated a willingness to resign."

Mr Ulufa'alu had reached an agreement with militia leader Andrew Nori under which he would resign, possibly after a vote of no confidence in Parliament next week.

Nori's Malaitan Eagle Force militia seized Mr Ulufa'alu on Monday after 18 months of fighting and rising ethnic tensions in the Pacific island nation.

The crisis escalated yesterday when a gunbattle broke out between rival factions at Honiara's international airport, injuring at least three rebels.

A New Zealand frigate is heading for Honiara in case it is needed to evacuate our nationals.

Foreign Affairs Minister Phil Goff told the Herald last night that HMNZS Te Mana was in the Pacific heading "in the direction" of the Solomon Islands.

"Obviously we are looking at all eventualities in terms of evacuation, and it will be in the region."

No New Zealanders had so far requested evacuation, he said, but because yesterday's fighting took place around Henderson Field airport, they could not be safely airlifted out.

"The latest reports show all of our people in Honiara are secure and not in immediate risk. But violence occurred. It may remain localised, it may remain as skirmishes, but you simply can't rely on the situation not developing into a wider-scale conflict."

There were about 180 New Zealanders in Honiara and 45 in other parts of the islands, Mr Goff said.

Yesterday's fighting - between the Eagles and the Guadalcanal militant group the Isatabu Freedom Movement - began around 10.30 am and was over by 2 pm.

A doctor at Honiara's central hospital told the Herald that three people had been shot in an ambush about 100m from the airport.

A fourth man was treated for a gunshot wound to the thigh suffered in fighting the day before. He had crawled through bush to get to the hospital.

The doctor, who did not want to be named, said a police officer and two members of the Malaitan Eagle Force were shot yesterday as they got off their bus.

The police officer was shot in the face. His jaw was broken but he was stable after emergency surgery.

A reporter for the Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation said it was not known how many members of the opposing Isatabu Freedom Movement had been wounded because they were not brought in to the hospital.

They would have been treated by "bush doctors," because they would be killed by the Eagles if they set foot in the hospital, the reporter said.