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Solomons lifts curfew as troops patrol capital
By Walter Nalangu Protests last week against the election of Snyder Rini as prime minister spiralled into two days of looting, targeting the tiny Chinese business population in Honiara, before the arrival of Australian and New Zealand troops to restore peace. Rini resigned on Wednesday, saying he no longer had the support of parliament. A new prime minister will be elected in a secret parliamentary ballot on May 4. Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said regardless of who was elected prime minister, the island nation would struggle to end corruption and political instability. "Corruption is endemic in the Solomon Islands, it's an enormous problem," Downer told Sydney radio yesterday. "Regardless of who they appoint as prime minister, I don't think you can say that that's going to overcome the instability," he said. "The instability is also pretty entrenched." Voters ousted half the parliament in a national election in April dominated by corruption. Seven ministers in the last government faced graft charges. Rini said he hoped his decision to step down would bring peace to the impoverished South Pacific nation of 992 islands spread out over 1.35 million sq km. His resignation was greeted with street celebrations. But jockeying for the prime minister's job is seeing MPs swapping allegiances in the fluid world of Solomons politics and it is unclear whether voters will be happy with their new leader. Governor-General Sir Nathaniel Waena lifted the curfew in Honiara after meeting Commissioner of Police Shane Castles, a government statement said on Thursday. Castles said the lifting of the curfew would allow businesses to return to normal but added police and troops would still patrol the streets. More than 100 people were arrested following the unrest, including two politicians. The Solomons, once a British protectorate known as "The Happy Isles", was on the brink of collapse in 2003 because of ethnic fighting, prompting Australia to lead a multinational peacekeeping force to restore peace. Last week's rioting in Honiara was fuelled by rumours that aid money from Taiwan was used to help elect Rini and that his government was heavily influenced by local Chinese businessmen. The Solomon Islands High Court refused bail on Thursday to two MPs charged with being involved in the protests. The prosecutor told the court that Nelson Ne'e, who represents central Honiara, had threatened to "chop the throats" of five MPs if they did not support the opposition. - REUTERS |
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