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New Zealand government reinforces Solomons intervention
By John Braddock
15 May 2006
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A 24-hour visit to the Solomon Islands by New Zealand Defence
Minister Phil Goff on April 27 underscored the punitive and oppressive
nature of the Australian-led intervention in the tiny Pacific
country. In the wake of disturbances in Honiara, the capital,
the New Zealand Labour government rushed a 100-strong contingent
of heavily-armed military and police reinforcements to assist
the Australian government in suppressing political protests and
rioting.
While the rioting erupted in response to the widely perceived
rigging of the selection of Snyder Rini as prime minister, it
reflected broader resentment over deepening social inequality
and the occupation of the country by RAMSI, the so-called Regional
Assistance Mission mounted by Australia and New Zealand. Since
2003, RAMSI has operated a neo-colonial administration, controlling
police, prisons, the legal system, government finances and other
key departments. It has propped up a corrupt local business and
political elite while enforcing pro-market economic reforms.
On the eve of his trip, Goff declared, mob rule simply
isnt going to be tolerated and warned, those
that engage in it will find that there are consequences.
He echoed Prime Minister Helen Clark, who said on April 20, when
announcing the military deployment, that the rapid response would
send a very clear signal to the rioters
in Honiara. This was a notable shift from Labours line that
its intervention in 2003 had been for the purposes of peacekeeping.
The Clark government is anxious about the possible emergence
of popular opposition movements throughout the Pacific regionincluding
within New Zealand. Goff made this explicit, saying weve
got to recall that Paris hasnt been free of similar acts
of violence and arson, and even in our country, for reasons that
seemed inexplicable at the time and since, we saw the 80s
riot in Queen St. This was a reference to a 1984 riot that
erupted during a demonstration in Auckland over the free-market
policies being implemented by the Lange-Douglas Labour government,
which Goff emphatically supported.
Goffs trip was also intended to clearly establish that
New Zealand has its own strategic interests in the region and
will not simply play second fiddle to its larger Australian neighbour.
While the two regional powers often collaborate, the New Zealand
ruling elite is wary of Canberras increasing tendency to
act unilaterally. On a number of occasions, Clark has positioned
New Zealand as the honest broker with Pacific governments
whenever they have perceived Australia as overstepping the mark.
According to a recent op-ed piece by Audrey Young, the New
Zealand Heralds political editor, Clark negotiated
hard with Howard over the terms of RAMSIs establishment
in 2003 to ensure it was a multi-lateral organisation and not
just a tool of Canberra. New Zealand had insisted on the approval
of the Pacific Islands Forum and the participation of as many
island states as possible, as well as an invitation
from the Solomons government. According to Young, RAMSI was
an important way for New Zealand to show it would be more than
happy to pull its weight when justified; and for Australia to
show it was capable of multilateralism when justified.
Goff went to the Solomons just a week after returning from
Washington where he met with US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld
and senior Pentagon officials. Goff took the opportunity to impress
the Bush administration with the tough line being taken by the
intervention forces, later boasting that the fortuitous timing
of the meetings meant he had been able to brief Pentagon chiefs
on the Solomon riots and the need for stronger intervention
by our military and police.
The wider purpose of Goffs Washington meetings was to
highlight New Zealands engagement in maintaining security
in the South Pacific. According to the New Zealand Heralds
Young, who covered the visit, Goff set out to steer the bilateral
talks away from the nuclear policy issues, which have at times
been a sticking point in the relationship, and onto New Zealands
real contribution in the (Pacific) region.
Speaking at the National Defence University, Goff acknowledged
that New Zealands nuclear-free status, adopted in 1985,
imposed constraints on some aspects of our defence relationship.
However, Goff emphasised our ability to work together in
support of our common international and regional security interests.
Goff later declared that New Zealands disproportionate
effort in Afghanistan, where it contributes more troops
on a per capita basis than other countries, was particularly noted
in Washington. So too, was the recent commitment to extend the
term of the 120-member armed forces Provincial Reconstruction
Team there.
Within days of Goffs Pentagon meeting, Clark announced
an increase in the size of the Solomons military and police contingent
to over 100, in addition to the 82 already stationed there. According
to Clark, the extra troops were required to help give broader
coverage of Honiara, better protection of infrastructure, and
greater capacity to investigate and apprehend key offenders.
Under the pretence of maintaining order, the Australian
and New Zealand forces interfered directly in Solomons affairs,
arresting three opposition MPs, imposing a dawn-till-dusk curfew,
rounding up so-called ring leaders (by then 106 Solomon
Islanders had been imprisoned) and establishing an atmosphere
of martial law that included a virtual lockdown of the parliament
building.
By the time of Goffs visit, Rini had resigned as prime
minister, and was to complain subsequently that the New Zealand
defence minister had purposefully snubbed him by not inviting
him to any talks. Goff, however, did meet with Manasseh Sogavare,
who is now prime minister, and eight of his MPs. Goff used the
meeting to issue a warning shot to Sogavare, lecturing him that
New Zealand was against corruption in any form and
would act to stamp it out.
At the end of his visit, Goff confirmed that the RAMSI operation
would operate indefinitely, saying it was never a short-term
measure. He declared: Weve got to continue to
work not only to change the institutions, but the culture of behaviour
and culture of governance. All of which was intended to
signal that Australia and New Zealand are determined to maintain
their neo-colonial control for as long as they see fit, regardless
of the intentions of Sogavare or anyone who replaces him as prime
minister.
See Also:
New Solomon Islands PM tries to placate
discontent with Australian occupation
[6 May 2006]
Solomon Islands PM quits amid
mounting opposition to Australian occupation
[26 April 2006]
Australian troops dispatched
to Solomon Islands to suppress local population
[21 April 2006]
Oppose Australia's
colonial-style intervention in the Solomons
[3 July 2003]
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