Solomon Islands leader backs armed intervention

By MARY-LOUISE O'CALLAGHAN

HONIARA - Armed intervention by Australia and New Zealand in the Solomon Islands is long overdue, says Governor-General Sir John Ini Lapli.

Sir John, who described the Solomons Government as being under siege, heads a growing number of political figures and some militant leaders in the troubled island state who welcome the prospect of armed intervention.

Their reaction comes as a joint Australian and New Zealand scoping mission arrived in the Solomons capital, Honiara, yesterday to sketch the parameters for co-operative intervention in the four-year-old crisis.

Officials from Australian and New Zealand Departments of Foreign Affairs and Defence and the countries' respective aid agencies will meet justice and finance officials, political leaders, provincial premiers and civil society representatives during their three-day mission.

New Zealand Foreign Minister Phil Goff said yesterday intervention was being considered because the three years since a coup in 2000 had left Solomon Islanders living in fear.

"The rule of law is not upheld by senior police officers and the [Solomons] Government is unable to operate without intimidation and extortion by armed former militants and other criminal elements," he said.

But, "we would want to make sure there is support for the higher level of engagement ... that this is not simply a case of two countries at the bottom of the South Pacific imposing their views on another country".

Reaction to the offer formally put on the table by the Australian Government last week to provide expatriate police and military assistance has been largely positive.

As well as Sir John, other key political figures, including parliamentary Speaker Sir Peter Kenilorea, have endorsed the proposal.

Sir John said many would see bringing in a small contingent of military and police personnel as part of a multinational effort to assist the Solomons as a long overdue step.

He made the comment in a short perspective provided to the Australian Strategic Policy Institute and published yesterday.

But any such intervention needed to be with the Government's agreement, he said.

The strongest opposition is likely to come from militant elements who carried out the 2000 coup, some of whom have approached Prime Minister Allan Kemakeza this week.

If there are elements who would oppose the move, it would be those ex-militants who are still illegally holding on to weapons for their own vested interest, Sir John said.

The Government is under siege by unreasonable elements of ex-militia men and other factors. The morale of public officers and administrators is at the lowest ebb.

One militant leader, Moses Suu, told the ABC's Foreign Correspondent programme he backed the proposal for outside intervention.

"It's good if Australia comes and helps the Government to restore law and order. That's a good idea."