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Australian envoy flies to Solomon Islands to protest riot inquiry (4:30 p.m.) An Australian envoy flew to the Solomon Islands on Tuesday to protest an inquiry that he fears will blame Australian police for riots that erupted there last spring.
Senior Australian diplomat David Ritchie will meet with Solomons' Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare on Wednesday to "register his serious concerns" about the inquiry into the April violence that razed the Chinese business district in the capital, Honiara, Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said. Downer did not say why he believed the inquiry would blame the Australian police. But he expressed concern that the investigation would undermine prosecutions against two local lawmakers already accused of helping stir up the violence. "We believe that it will prejudice the outcome of court cases against two imprisoned members of parliament facing riot-related allegations and it will endeavor to cast blame for the riots on the police response, including the Australian police," Downer told Parliament. Two days of violence erupted after rumors swept the capital that newly elected Prime Minister Snyder Rini had used money paid to him by Chinese businessmen to buy the votes of lawmakers. More than 30 members of the Australian-led international police force were injured and Australia, New Zealand and Fiji sent in more troops and police to bring the situation under control. Rini resigned and Sogavare was elected prime minister. Two lawmakers who supported Sogavare, Charles Dausabea and Nelson Ne'e, were arrested within days of the riots and charged with helping incite the violence, arson and looting. Sogavare initially appointed Dausabea police minister and Ne'e tourism minister. But when they were refused bail, Sogavare dismissed them. Critics say Sogavare is pursuing the police inquiry to try to clear the two ministers before their cases come to trial. Foreign police have often been caught up in politicking by rival factions since being deployed to the Solomon Islands to quell years of unrest there. Downer said the inquiry, announced last month, "would be completely at odds" with Honiara's stated commitment to support the rule of law and to work with the Australian-led international security force that has been keeping peace in the troubled South Pacific nation since July 2003. |
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