| Politics/Solomons: NEW RAMSI CHIEF TO TALK MORE |
Australian dominance to be addressed
Evan Wasuka
The Australian-led Regional Assistance Mission in the Solomon Islands is carrying out a change of guard with Tim George taking over the leadership at a time when its relations with the Solomon Islands Government is at its lowest.
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Changing of the guard... Hello Tim George and good by e and good luck James Batley.
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George enters the scene, some seven months after political violence destroyed much of Honiara’s Chinatown district and the mission, known locally by its acronym RAMSI, is under public scrutiny over its handling of the riots.
RAMSI, an initiative of the Pacific Islands Forum, was dispatched to the island archipelago in 2003 to quell violence between militia from Guadalcanal and Malaita that had engulfed the country.
Despite its success, the mission after three years of operation, is facing its biggest challenge. Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare has threatened to boot Australia out of the mission over attempts by Canberra to extradite Julian Moti, Sogavare’s choice for attorney-general, to face alleged sex offences in Australia.
Curiously though, the offences against Moti took place in Vanuatu in 1997. He had however, been cleared by Vanuatu’s Supreme Court of the charges.
The diplomatic spat with Australia has caught RAMSI in the crossfire with Sogavare accusing the mission of being an alternative government and doing Canberra’s bidding.
Commonwealth secretary-general, Don McKinnon, who attended the recent Pacific Islands Forum leaders meeting in Nadi, says RAMSI may have the backing of Pacific islands leaders but locally it suffers perception problems.
“That because Australia puts in a lot of money therefore it dominates every possible decision, we do know that is not factually correct.”
McKinnon says it will be the work of RAMSI’s new leadership to change the perception and enter into discussions with the government to end the rift.
George, who arrived in Honiara from a stint as Australia’s ambassador to Israel, says he is keen to set up more dialogue with the Sogavare government.
“The key to this is close consultation, so there is equal understanding on all sides,” he told reporters in his first media conference as RAMSI head.
Australia provides leadership but this is a regional mission, said George.
Over time, he says, the mission will become less Australian dominated as more Pacific islanders take up positions in RAMSI.
“As capacity building takes root, more and more Solomon Islanders will be moving into key positions.”
Outgoing RAMSI head, James Batley, says part of the problem with the government is poor communication between the regional mission and government.
He says some people are taking advantage of this by spreading misinformation.
Batley says the prime minister’s recent criticism of Australians taking up line posts in the finance ministry was an example of this.
“The majority of our civilians work as advisors. In the treasury, we have 20 advisors and three or four line officers,” says Batley.
In October, Sogavare tabled at the Forum leaders meeting in Nadi a five-point proposal aimed at watering down Australia’s role in RAMSI.
With the backing of Melanesian neighbours Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea, Australia was condemned for infringing on Solomon Islands’ sovereignty over the Julian Moti affair.
In the end, Forum leaders endorsed Australia’s leadership and the continuation of RAMSI in its current form, and the establishment of a three-monthly review mechanism by a Forum taskforce.
RAMSI has welcomed the review saying it is open to investigation and scrutiny.
“We think RAMSI has a good story to tell and we look forward to telling it,” says RAMSI deputy head, Paul Ash.
Despite Sogavare’s rhetoric, RAMSI’s support amongst the public is strong and possibly even stronger in the provinces where all but two of Solomon Islands’ nine provincial premiers have condemned the prime minister’s threat against RAMSI.
RAMSI’s record speaks for itself—the tripling of government revenue since its 2003 arrival, the collection of arms and guns, arrests of countless militiamen and corrupt leaders, plus its development work including roads into rural areas has won praise.
Other impressive figures include only a single report of a firearms related crime in 2006 while the clearance rate of reported crimes grew to 40 percent in 2005.
RAMSI’s presence has also been an economic booster. After three years of RAMSI’s presence, Solomon Islands’ real GDP growth is estimated at 5 percent—amongst the fastest in the Pacific—while foreign direct investment approvals in 2005 amounted to S$1.44 billion.
Batley—whose two-year tour of duty comes to an end—says his most rewarding experience during his term in the Solomons is seeing the justice system work.
“Solomon Islanders have been able to see their own system of justice working, applied to big people and small people.
“We’ve had some very prominent people before the courts,” said Batley.
And those fronting the courts include seven former ministers, two former prime ministers, one current cabinet minister, two current members of parliament and one suspended attorney-general.
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