Solomon Islands Boycotts Regional Forum Over RAMSI Issues

By Sarah C. LaBelle
Impunity Watch Senior Desk Officer, Oceania

HONIARA, Solomon Islands - Transparency International has criticized the Solomon Islands for its decision to boycott the Pacific Islands Forum conference held in Tonga this week, calling the decision "irresponsible".  In a letter to the prime minister of Tonga, Felete Sevele, Solomons Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare accused Australia and other foreign agents of running a misleading media campaign against the Sogavare's government.

He said, "We categorically condemn as totally misleading and grossly insulting the ongoing media campaign by Canberra and other foreign agents that Solomons Government is out to destroy RAMSI in defiance of the claim that the majority of Solomon Islanders support their continual presence in the country."  Sogavare continued on to call RAMSI (the Australian-led Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands) a non-issue for the people of the Solomons, and further stated that, "our commitment and willingness to work with the Forum is taken for granted and we feel insulted."

Sogavare claims that his absence is because he does not want his issues with RAMSI to overshadow the conference.  The Pacific Forum is also the group in charge of RAMSI and its review.  The absence of the Solomon Islands from this conference will likely make it more difficult for the Forum to mediate the dispute.  Leaked copies of the review demanded by Sogavare reveal that it found RAMSI to be a positive influence in the Solomons and should continue, sparking rumours that Sogavare's absence at the Forum is in protest of this finding.

The Executive Officer for Transparency Solomon Islands, Joses Tuhanuku, said of the boycott, "The action of the Prime Minister is both irresponsible and immature.  There may be some disagreement between him and some leaders but I think it would have been better for him to go and present his position to the leaders of the region."

Opposition leader Fred Fono agreed, saying that "any leader in his right mind" would use the Pacific forum to explain their position more clearly, according to the Solomon Times.  Public reaction was mixed, with some citizens believing the meetings with Taiwan officials, which Sogavare is attending in lieu of the Pacific Forum, will be more beneficial to the Solomons in the end.  Others feel, as Fono and Tuhanuku do, that it is important to express the concerns of the Solomons to its regional partners and neighbours.

 

For more information, please see:

Solomon Times - PM Sogavare Boycotts Pacific Leaders Meeting - 09 October 2007

Fiji Times - Sogavare to boycott forum - 09 October 2007

The China Post (AFP) - Solomon Islands PM to skip Pacific forum - 10 October 2007

Solomon Times - Public Reaction to PM's Skip of Pacific Leaders Meet - 10 October 2007

Solomon Times - Sogavare Explains Absence From Forum Meet - 15 October 2007

Islands Business - Solomon Islands: Country boycotts forum summit in Tonga - 15 October 2007

Islands Business - Solomon Islands: TI Solomons labels forum boycott irresponsible - 15 October 2007

Radio New Zealand International - Solomons boycotts forum summit in Tonga - 15 October 2007

Radio New Zealand International - TI Solomons labels forum boycott irresponsible - 15 October 2007

Radio New Zealand International - Two ongoing spats may have already wrecked the theme of Pacific Forum summit - 15 October 2007

Sydney Morning Herald - Unrest in focus as officials gather for Pacific forum - 16 October 2007

For more on the clash between Sogavare's government and RAMSI, please see the Impunity Watch report here on the recent arguments over RAMSI review, and here on the appeal made to the United Nations to remove RAMSI from the Solomons.