Page 9 - IB June 2017

Cover Story
Region watches as assistance mission comes to an end

SIPF officers renew their oath at the rearmament of the force (Photo: Johnson Honimae (RAMSI Public Affairs).
Right: Flashback: Surrendered rebel arms up in smoke. Photo: File
lobby. politicians – is the biggest threat once and distrust and accusations based on
In June, 125 members of the Royal RAMSI leaves. ethnicity and the perception of who you
Solomon Islands Police Force’s rapid “You know, these politicians have their supported in the conflict.”
response and close personal protection own weapons,” one cabbie offered when It was against this backdrop that
units were rearmed for the first time. asked whether armed police units were RAMSI entered the Solomons.
At the height of the tensions the RSIPF needed in the Happy Isles. Its military and police units were per-
armouries in several key districts were “We need to protect the community haps the most exposed to international
ransacked, the arms distributed among and we need to protect democracy. attention.
rebel forces. And in some cases police “So we need some weapons for the But behind the scenes hundreds if
officers joined rebels groups and fought police otherwise they might run away regional administrators, lawyers and
against their former comrades. like last time.” civil servants worked tirelessly with their
After intense negotiations last year After the 2000 coup and the ensuing local counterparts in an attempt to bring
between government representatives, breakdown of law and order, police, about much-needed functionality to key
provincial governments and community government officials, journalists, of- institutions.
leaders, it was agreed that selected parts ficials and private citizens were subject Over its 14-year presence RAMSI has
of the police force would be re-armed. to intimidation and violence. helped lay the foundations for long-term
This agreement led to the training of Corruption was unfettered, public stability and prosperity in the Solomon
a special unit within the RSIPF and the finances were in ruin and many of the Islands.
provision of facilities for the safekeeping most basic services such as health and Its mandate was to restore civil order
of weapons. With this phase of capacity education were not being delivered to in Honiara and throughout the rest of the
building completed, re-armament has the people. country; rebuild and reform the machin-
taken place. The Government and its institutions ery of government, improve government
Essentially the RSIPF now has an ceased to function effectively. accountability and improve the delivery
armed response unit capable of respond- “That was a traumatic time,” says for- of services in urban and provincial areas;
ing to reports of armed criminals or a mer broadcaster-turned RAMSI spokes- stabilise government finances, balance
terrorist situation. man, Johnson Honimae. the budget and fight corruption; and
In reality the armed unit is a necessity “People were terrorised. Nobody was help rebuild the economy and encourage
because there are no real figures avail- safe and the rebels could come for you sustainable broad-based growth.
able on the weapons which exist in the at any time of the day or night. Much of that has been completed even
community after the 2000 conflict. “The rebels even turned back doctors though the economy is far from being
Even the humble Honiara taxi driver and nurses on the way to work. as strong as it was prior to the conflict.
knows that armed conflict – fuelled by “And there was a lot of suspicion n Continued overleaf

Islands Business, May 2017 9