NZ police report calm on streets of Solomon’s capital
The New Zealand Police contingent deployed to the Solomon Islands has begun peacekeeping patrols and is reporting calm on the ground in the capital, Honiara.
A group of 11 officers arrived on Saturday.
Their deployment, alongside Defence Force personnel, comes after the embattled government of Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare requested assistance from New Zealand.
The police officers and soldiers arrived several days after personnel from Australia, Papua New
Guinea and Fiji, and after the unrest receded following days of violence, protests and looting in Honiara.
The protesters, mainly people from the most populous island of Malaita, demanded Sogavare’s resignation.
The prime minister has been widely criticised by political leaders on Malaita for a decision two years ago to cut diplomatic ties with Taiwan, favouring mainland China.
AP reported the unrest began from a peaceful protest driven by economic issues, the country’s increasing links to mainland China and internal regional rivalries.
Yesterday, there were fears of renewed violence in Honiara as Parliament debated a motion of no confidence in Sogavare. In the end, he easily had the numbers, winning 32 votes to 15, with two abstentions.
Speaking yesterday from Wellington, Inspector Dave Rose, the manager of police’s overseas assistance programmes, said the team was finding the situation calm in the capital as businesses and the port reopened.
‘‘The situation over there is calm, so it’s given them the opportunity to become familiar with the layout of Honiara.’’
They were beginning to undertake community patrols, he said.
The officers, led by Inspector Mike Cook and drawn from around the country, did not carry or have access to firearms but had pepper spray, body armour and handcuffs, Rose said.
‘‘[It’s] what you would normally see with a frontline police officer in New Zealand.’’
They were trained in riot control but their main role was engaging with the community and supporting the Royal Solomon Islands police force, who would be the primary responders in the case of more unrest, Rose said.
‘‘Certainly they have that skillset, our staff have training in public order policing but the prominent role for them is in that advisory and support. The primary response is by the Royal Solomon Islands police force.’’