International peacekeeping forces were deployed in Honiara, the capital of the Solomon Islands. Checkpoints had been established around the Parliament, the streets of the city center had been cordoned off. Manasseh Sogavare, the Prime Minister of Salomon, however comfortably rejected the opposition’s attempt to oust him, by obtaining thirty-two votes against fifteen, after a day of heated debate, Monday, December 6.
“If I am to be removed, it must be by legal process, by members of Parliament, and not by calls for resignation launched by agents of Taiwan”, said the leader close to Beijing during a heated two-hour parliamentary speech.
China and Taiwan have fought for influence in the Pacific for decades, with both sides using development aid as bait. The Solomon Islands opposition had presented a motion to oust Mr. Sogavare, accusing him of corruption and using Chinese funds to support his government. He has “Voluntarily compromising our sovereignty for its personal political benefit”Opposition Leader Matthew Wale told lawmakers as debate on the motion began.
Prime Minister refused protesters’ requests to resign, telling parliament leaving office under such circumstances would be submitting “To the diktats of hooligans and anarchy”. “We cannot accept that violence is used to overthrow a democratically elected government”, did he declare.
Quarrels between elected officials in parliament echoed the anger that has recently erupted in the streets and resulted in the arrival of hundreds of international peacekeepers.
Three days of riots in November
In November, a demonstration against Mr. Sogavare sparked three days of riots in the capital, in which at least three people were killed and the city’s Chinatown was ransacked.
Order had been restored by Australian, Fijian, Papua New Zealand and New Zealand peacekeepers, who dispersed throughout the capital to patrol with overwhelmed local police. The prospect of further violence prompted the US consulate in Honiara to restrict its activities. On Monday, the Central Bank of the Solomon Islands estimated the damage caused by the riots at 67 million US dollars, adding that 63 buildings in the capital were burnt and looted.
The crisis has been fueled by poverty, unemployment and inter-island rivalry in this nation of 700,000 people. It was exacerbated by Mr. Sogavare’s decision to shift Solomons diplomatic allegiance from Taiwan to China in 2019.