Posted by Damos on April 23, 2006, at 18:05:28
In reply to 500 Austrailian Troops occupy the Solomon Islands, posted by verne on April 21, 2006, at 12:07:44
Verne,
I know you didn't mean the header to be inflammatory or offensive. But as an Australian I would greatly appreciate it if you could change it to something remotely approximating the truth, as I'm sure my NZ friends would too.
We are not an *occupying* force and the majority of the contribution of all nations (Aust, NZ, Fiji, Tonga and PNG) are police (unarmed I believe) and other civilian personnel. 19 Australian police were injured in the rioting, I unfortunately can't speak about those of the other nations. The additional troops were sent to *protect* those other personnel and the newly elected parliament. We also have a number of severely injured Solomon Islanders in our hosiptals suffering machete and other wounds (2 are quadraplegic and parapelgic now) who were attacked simply because they were considered 'Chinese'. We have also participated in similar *regional* initiatives e.g. Bougainville
Info and links:
‘The Pacific intervention force was dominated by Australia and went to the
Solomons to help restore stability after the Prime Minister, Sir Allan
Kemakeza, asked for help’‘This is a Pacific solution to a Pacific problem’.
‘Over 2000 police, military and civilian personnel from New Zealand,
Australia, Fiji, Tonga and Papua New Guinea are currently serving there. It
has the support of the Pacific Island Forum, the Commonwealth and the United
Nations’.‘We anticipate a low-key approach. The deployment is there only for as long
as the Solomon Islands people and Government want it to be. They retain
sovereignty. The purpose is not to replace the Solomon Islands Government
but to work along side it and to build its capabilities. They retain
responsibility’.‘First and foremost, this is a Police-led operation. Our military will go to
support the police and will be able to give civil and humanitarian
assistance’.‘The arrest of Harold Keke was also a huge step toward peace. He will face a
murder inquiry. He was wanted for alleged crimes involving around 50
murders. Keke was a person it was felt would never surrender. There was now
pressure on Malaitan ex-militants to hand over their weapons. A number of
high-powered weapons still remain in the community, however, and there are
suspicions that some former militants and criminal elements have hidden
weapons’.‘Prime Minister Helen Clark and Defence Minister Mark Burton visited the
Solomon Islands on 22 September 2003 for two days. The trip allowed the PM
and Mr Burton to observe the work being undertaken by the New Zealand police
and defence personnel. She met Solomons Prime Minister Sir Allan Kemakeza
and other leaders, including the leadership of the Regional Assistance
Mission’.http://www.army.mil.nz/default.asp?CHANNEL=OPERATIONS&PAGE=Solomon+Islands
http://www.defence.gov.au/opanode/
http://www.ausaid.gov.au/hottopics/solomon/solomons_ramsi_details.cfm
http://www.dfat.gov.au/geo/png/bougainville/bougainville_peace_process.html
poster:Damos
thread:635521
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/poli/20060417/msgs/636285.html