Mission stopped Solomons deaths: Downer
The collection of thousands of weapons by the Australian-led regional assistance mission in the Solomon Islands prevented lives being lost during last month's riots in the capital Honiara, says Foreign Minister Alexander Downer.
He was speaking after attending a special service in Honiara on Saturday to remember two Australians who died while serving with the mission and to pay tribute to more than 20 Australian police officers injured in the April 18-19 riots.
Protective Service Officer Adam Dunning, 26, was shot and killed by a sniper on December 22, 2004.
Two former members of the militant Malaita Eagle Force from the time of the country's ethnic tensions are in jail charged with his murder.
On March 10 last year, soldier Jamie Clark, 22, died after falling down a deep shaft while on a bush patrol with his battalion.
At Saturday's service at Police Memorial Park in Honiara, Mr Downer and New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters laid wreaths in memory of the two young men who were serving with the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI).
The service, attended by Australian, New Zealand and Pacific Island police officers serving with RAMSI, was held at the "Helpem Fren" memorial.
Buried under the memorial are thousands of broken-up weapons collected during the peace process.
Mr Downer later told Solomons radio listeners that the Australian government was very upset over the "Black Tuesday" riots.
"There was a lot of anger in Australia that people would riot and burn property. We thank God for the fact that no-one was killed that day and it's almost a miracle that no-one was killed."
Mr Downer said it was fortunate RAMSI had collected around 3,700 weapons since it arrived in mid-2003 to restore law and order.
"If they hadn't been collected, who knows how many people might have been killed on a day like Black Tuesday."
He also paid tribute to Australian police who were caught in the middle of the riots.
"The Australian police showed enormous courage and I'm tremendously proud of them. They stood by the people of Solomon Islands in their time of need."
Mr Downer and Mr Peters flew into Honiara on Friday to meet new Solomons Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare to discuss the future of RAMSI following last month's change of government in the wake of the riots in which most of Honiara's Chinatown was burnt down.
Mr Downer returned to Australia on Saturday.
© 2006
AAP
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