Solomon Islands warlord agrees to give up guns

By MARY-LOUISE O'CALLAGHAN Herald correspondent

HONIARA - In a major breakthrough for the regional intervention in the Solomon Islands, rebel leader Harold Keke has agreed to surrender his weapons and cooperate with the force.

But the reaction was muted in Honiara after Mr Keke confirmed that six Anglican brothers he had been holding hostage were dead.

The civilian leader of the intervention, Nick Warner, who flew to the remote Weathercoast of Guadalcanal to meet the rebel leader, said Mr Keke had confirmed the deaths during talks yesterday.

Describing the meeting as positive, Mr Warner said Mr Keke and his supporters would hand in their weapons next week once an intervention post was established in their area.

New Zealand's Foreign Minister, Phil Goff, cautiously welcomed the promise to hand over the militia's weapons, but added: "Actions speak louder than words."

New Zealand soldiers and police are in the Solomons as part of a 2000-strong Australian-dominated intervention force, aiming to restore stability to the Pacific nation and end corruption and crime.

Mr Warner said he asked Mr Keke about the fate of the hostages during his two-hour meeting in a church in the village of Biti.

"All six of them are dead, we were told by Harold and his group," he said.

Mr Goff said: "One would expect that those who had committed any such act would in due course be held to account for their actions and brought before courts of law."

He said the Solomons court system would handle such cases.

Grave fears had been held for the six men since the release of seven other hostages, also members of the Melanesian Brotherhood.

A proposed meeting between Mr Warner and Mr Keke on Thursday did not eventuate when the rebel leader sent a delegation to determine the intentions of the intervention force.

Asked why the intervention force did not arrest Mr Keke yesterday, Mr Warner said proper evidence and an arrest warrant were required before any arrests could be made.

Mr Warner's meeting with Mr Keke follows similar ones with Mr Keke's rivals on Malaita Island and at the other end of the Weathercoast.

The leaders of the Malaita Eagle Force have agreed to hand in their weapons next Friday. Already 500 weapons have been handed in.

Meanwhile, Mr Goff said the issues of gun control and regional security would be key agenda items at the Pacific Islands Forum in Auckland next week.