Solomon Islands, Australia: Solomons will not ban Australian MPs

Outraged at the appointment of Julian Moti as attorney general for the Solomon Islands (see Impunity Watch report here), Australia seems to have barred Solomons MPs from entering or traveling through Australia.  This comes on the heels of a newspaper campaign by Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer, where Downer published open letters in Solomon Islands newspapers criticizing Moti's appointment.

However, despite early reports to the contrary, the Solomons will not retaliate in kind.  Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare has said that any such move would be "immature."  He has also commented on Downer's newspaper letters, saying that Downer has "belittled his status" by using newspapers as a forum, rather than going through the Australian High Commissioner.  Sogavare said that there was "no reason under the sun" why Downer would express Australia's views directly to the people through the media, now that there is an Australian High Commissioner.

Last week, two Solomon Islands ministers attempted to travel through Australia on a return trip from Europe.  Downer decided that their presence would be antithetical to Australia's foreign policy interests, and their travel visas were cancelled.

After Australian High Commissioner Patrick Cole was expelled from the Solomon Islands in September of last year, the Australian government abrogated Australian visas held by all members of the Solomon Islands Parliment at the time.  In late April, certain Solomons government ministers were allowed to travel to Brisbane for the unveiling of Solomon Airlines plane.  Following Moti's appointment, there seems to be a strict ban in place, though the Australian High Commission in the Solomon Islands has denied that there is a visa ban.

According to the Australian High Commission, since the original 2006 revocation of multiple-entry visas, Solomons MPs have been required to reapply each time they wish to travel through or to Australia, and that visas are considered on a case-by-case basis.  "All Members of Parliment were free to apply for a visa.  A travel ban never existed," the High Commission said in a press statement.  It also said that since October 2006, it has received 47 visa requests from Solomons MPs, 44 of which were approved.

Please see also:
"PM backs off Aussie bans"  Solomon Star  18 July 2007
"Australia denies visa ban"  Solomon Star  18 July 2007
"Solomons PM criticises Downer over Moti comments"  Australian Broadcasting Corporation  18 July 2007
"Solomons denies plans to ban visits from Aust politicians"  Australian Broadcasting Corporation  17 July 2007
"Angry PM may ban Aussies"  Solomon Star  17 July 2007
"Travel ban for MPs"  Solomon Star  17 July 2007