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HONIARA - Bilateral tensions between Australia and the Solomon Islands are threatening the future of the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands - or Ramsi.
Last year the Pacific Islands Forum agreed to review the Australian-led regional body after calls for change by Solomon Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare. The leader of the 550,000-strong nation sought less Australian control of Ramsi and less Ramsi influence on his Government.
The review is expected to recommend establishment of a liaison group to improve communication between the Government and Ramsi.
The public's support for Ramsi is strong, says Ramsi deputy special co-ordinator, New Zealander Jonathan Austin, but communication with the Government needs to be better.
"There is a gap at political level, particularly among Cabinet ministers."
The Solomons Government has appointed a special envoy to Ramsi, Michael Maina, to improve information given to the Government.
Mr Austin and special co-ordinator Tim George have boosted the number of Ramsi's meetings with the Prime Minister to try to improve the relationship.
However, the shaky bond between Australia and the Solomons Government is what actually needs mending.
Foreign Minister Winston Peters sidestepped the Australia-Solomons tensions during talks with Mr Sogavare here, instead trying to impress on him the benefits of Ramsi. "There's no doubt in my mind the Solomons would be in a critically adverse situation if they didn't have Ramsi," he said.
Mr Austin said focusing on one relationship, albeit a dominant one, ignored the regional nature of Ramsi.
"If you have a go at Ramsi you're having a go at Australia, at New Zealand and the other 15 forum countries contributing to it," he said. "If there are issues with Ramsi, let's try to deal with them and work them out."
Adding to the simmering situation is the appointment of Fijian Mohammed Jahir Khan as police commissioner.
Mr Khan, new to the job, has already sought S$18 million ($3.4 million) to rearm the police - a move of which Ramsi disapproves because armed police were part of the original problem.
Mr Austin said before such a step was taken, community confidence in police needed building, police needed some weapons training and the whole issue of arms needed discussing. "We need to have a sensible debate about what the actual requirements are."
Sources told NZPA that Mr Khan wanted to import about 25 Fijian police to run a very different type of policing to what Ramsi would like. Speculation has it that a select armed group loyal to Mr Sogavare may be set up.
Another powder-keg issue is legislation Mr Sogavare wants that would remove immunity from prosecution from Ramsi personnel. Mr Austin said such immunity, needed so foreign officers and defence personnel could do their work, was typical for such missions. He added several Ramsi contributors would pull out their personnel if immunity was removed.
"That would be very, very unfortunate. This is a Pacific success story. It's something all countries are part of and we want to keep it that way."
The senior national New Zealand Ramsi officer, Major Tausia Tarsau, heads home with his contingent in less than two weeks. He said the Solomons Government would not be following the will of the people if it forced Ramsi out.
"They love having us here and they certainly enjoy our company and enjoy the work that we are trying to do for them ... They want Ramsi to stay."
Mr Austin emphasised Ramsi was not permanent and would be scaled down. "At the strategic level there's still a lot of work to be done building the capacity of police," he said.
"Building a state is not something you can achieve quickly and it's a process which will have setbacks. This is a long-haul operation and it's going to take time."
- NZPA
