Riot-hit Solomon Islands鈥 PM refuses to step down
Print Edition
THE prime minister of the riot-hit Solomon Islands defied pressure to resign yesterday, saying a wave of torching and looting that swept the capital had been orchestrated by a few people with “evil intention” to topple him.
Shattered glass and rubble still lined the streets of capital Honiara as Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare addressed the nation, a reminder of the three-day riot.
“It is very clear that the recent events were well planned and orchestrated to remove me as the prime minister for unsubstantiated reasons,” Sogavare said, after a night-time curfew. Roughly 150 foreign peacekeepers from Australia and Papua New Guinea helped to restore some calm over the weekend.
“I want to show the nation that the government is fully intent and nothing will move us. We must and will never bow down to the evil intention of a few people,” Sogavare said.
During the riots, mobs attempted to torch the prime minister’s private residence and parliament before being dispersed by police firing tear gas and warning shots.
Sogavare has already blamed the violence on an unscrupulous few leading the people astray with false information. He has claimed that foreign powers opposed to his 2019 decision to establish diplomatic relations with China are behind the disturbances.
The prime minister said the violence had caused 200 million Solomon Islander dollars (US$25 million) in damage and destroyed 1,000 jobs in an economy already squeezed by the impact of the pandemic.
The government was working on a recovery package to help damaged businesses recover, Sogavare said.
Over 100 people have been arrested for riot-related activity, local police said.
Despite the relative calm of the weekend, people were fearful for the outlook, Red Cross official Kennedy Waitara said.
Waitara said many of the food shops in Chinatown had been burned down in the riots.
“It will not be surprising if we experience food shortages and a hike in prices,” he said. “Unemployment will increase in the coming weeks as people will certainly be out of jobs now and will be finding it difficult.”
China condemned the violence and said it supports the government’s efforts to end the violence and chaos. Foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said China was closely monitoring the latest developments.
“We believe that under the leadership of Prime Minister Sogavare, the Solomon Islands government has the capability to restore social order at an early date and stabilize the domestic situation,” said Zhao, adding that China is taking all necessary measures to safeguard the safety and lawful rights and interests of Chinese citizens and institutions there.
Zhao said the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the Solomon Islands is a correct choice in keeping with the trend of the times that can stand the test of history, adding that bilateral relations have come a long way with fruitful outcomes in practical cooperation in various sectors since the establishment of diplomatic ties.
“The establishment of diplomatic ties between China and the Solomon Islands serves the fundamental and long-term interests of the Solomon Islands. All attempts to disrupt the normal development of relations between our two sides are futile,” Zhao said.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 娌狪CP璇侊細娌狪CP澶05050403鍙-1
- |
- 浜掕仈缃戞柊闂讳俊鎭湇鍔¤鍙瘉锛31120180004
- |
- 缃戠粶瑙嗗惉璁稿彲璇侊細0909346
- |
- 骞挎挱鐢佃鑺傜洰鍒朵綔璁稿彲璇侊細娌瓧绗354鍙
- |
- 澧炲肩數淇′笟鍔＄粡钀ヨ鍙瘉锛氭勃B2-20120012
Copyright 漏 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
