Questions for NZ after Solomons violence

Chinatown in Honiara was worst hit, with many businesses burnt down, bringing allegations of anti-Asian sentiment. Picture / Getty Images

New Zealand's role in the assistance mission to the Solomon Islands needs to be examined after it failed to prevent this week's violence, says National MP and former top diplomat John Hayes.

Mr Hayes, an observer at the Solomon Islands' election two weeks ago, said a parliamentary inquiry should be held into the Regional Assistance Mission in Solomon Islands (Ramsi) in which New Zealand and Australia have invested huge amounts of money and manpower since it was sent there in 2003.

"We have spent tens of millions of dollars and invested hundreds of thousands of man-hours. How have we got an outcome, after all this expenditure of time and energy and taxpayer money, that caught us completely by surprise?" Mr Hayes asked.

The Solomon Islands' capital, Honiara, descended into violence this week after the election of Snyder Rini as Prime Minister, prompting New Zealand and Australia to send extra troops and police to the region.

"It's not a good outcome for the Solomons, not a good outcome for the region and not a good outcome for Australia or New Zealand," Mr Hayes said.

The former High Commissioner, who is credited with initiating the peace talks in Bougainville, said New Zealand and Australia needed to let Solomon Islanders take control in their way, instead of imposing Western methods on them.

"We have to work with them, we can't dictate to them."

Prime Minister Helen Clark said the situation in the Solomons had improved substantially over the two years and eight months that Ramsi had been there.

"But I think what this [the recent violence] shows is that stability in the Solomon Islands is a very fragile thing and is going to need quite a lot of support for the foreseeable future."

Mr Hayes said he believed Parliament needed to carefully examine New Zealand's role in the Solomons and said he would be pushing for a select committee inquiry.

The people New Zealand sent to the Solomons needed to have a better understanding of the Melanesian culture, an understanding that would have helped during the latest conflict.

The rioting and looting has been focused in Chinatown, in the centre of Honiara, giving rise to speculation that there is a widespread anti-Asian sentiment among Solomon Islanders.

That resentment towards Taiwan and China - who are both vying for influence in the Solomons - has developed in recent years because of a perception that the Solomons' natural resources are being plundered and that the Asian nations are bankrolling politicians and fuelling corruption.

There is particular mistrust about wealthy and influential Honiara businessman Sir Thomas Chan, who is rumoured to have helped Mr Rini become Prime Minister.

Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer has linked the unrest to a power struggle between Taiwanese and Chinese influences in Honiara.

"Some people have decided to take to the streets, particularly focusing on the Chinese community, because they believe Snyder Rini has been supported by the Chinese. Not just the ethnic Chinese on the Solomon Islands but the Taiwanese as well."

New Zealand High Commissioner to the Solomons Brian Sanders said most of Chinatown was burned down but some businesses were left untouched. "I think there needs to be a little bit of searching into why some survived and why others didn't."

Mr Hayes said he did not think Solomon Islanders were anti-Chinese in a racist sense.

"I think what the people are saying in this outburst is that they don't approve of what they perceive to be corruption being fuelled by some elements in the community."

Mr Hayes said there was considerable resentment towards Mr Rini.

"Rini was a Deputy Prime Minister and he was not a popular person. He was considered by many ... to be less than straightforward."


Countdown to chaos

July 1978 - Solomon Islands wins independence from Britain.

March 1988 - The Solomons, Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu sign an agreement establishing the Melanesian Spearhead Group to preserve their traditions and develop their economies.

July 2003 - An Australian-led peace force of 2225 soldiers from six regional nations arrives after a request by Parliament amid fighting between ethnic militias. Most of the force is withdrawn in October after restoring law and order.

April 2006 - Half the Parliament is ousted in the first elections since foreign troops restored peace and Snyder Rini is elected Prime Minister in a secret ballot. Riots break out against Rini's election and Australian and New Zealand troops are back to try to restore order.