NationStates Jolt Archive

New Zealand police and soldiers in the Solomon Islands are on alert today amidst a deepening political crisis and worries violence may break out again.

Forty soldiers and 35 police officers from New Zealand are part of the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI) which in 2003 ended a nasty ethnic conflict on Guadalcanal.

[b]The government of Prime Minister Manesseh Sogavare is facing a no-confidence vote when Parliament opens later today.

There are widespread fears that violence could break out, similar to that on April 18 last year when the rioters destroyed a large part of Honiara's China Town.

Sogavare looks to lack the numbers to retain the confidence of the 48-seat parliament. The opposition appear to have 25 members.

Former prime minister Allan Kemakeza, who has stayed neutral, earlier this week joined forces with the opposition.

The Solomon Islands Police Force and RAMSI have increased patrols and surveillance in Honiara.

Parliament, which sits on a ridge overlooking Honiara, will be out of bound to the public during the meeting, except for members of the media and local and overseas dignitaries.

The military have a strong presence at the Honiara Hotel where the Opposition group is based.

This has prompted criticism the security forces are supporting the opposition because of Sogavare's stated intentions of getting RAMSI out of the Solomons.

Police Force deputy commissioner Peter Marshall told local media yesterday they were not supporting any side in the political crisis.

"We want to be fair and balance and utterly reject any suggestion that RAMSI ... is involved in partisan security operations," Marshall told the Solomon Star.
[/quote]

(link (http://www.stuff.co.nz/4322672a12.html))

Any street violence wouldn't be nearly as bad if the current government wasn't propped up by interventionist foreign police and troops, hell if their was foreign troops and police in my country I'd riot too.

Any street violence wouldn't be nearly as bad if the current government wasn't propped up by interventionist foreign police and troops, hell if their was foreign troops and police in my country I'd riot too.

Sogavare is actually on very poor terms with RAMSI.

Anyway, here's an article from the Solomon Times:


The region is focusing its attention on Honiara as the Pacific island nation prepares to end a three-week political standoff between the Government of Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare and the parliamentary opposition.

The last straw in the political crisis, using the judiciary, came this morning when the High Court ruled in favour of the Governor General's Proclamation for parliament to meet tomorrow to vote on a no confidence motion against Prime Minister Sogavare.

Mr. Sogavare used the court in a last ditch attempt to block tomorrow's meeting with a team of high-powered lawyers led by controversial Attorney General and constitutional expert, Julian Moti, but has failed.

Meanwhile, the man holding the balance of power in the number-game, former Prime Minister, Sir Allan Kemakeza, who remained neutral during the month-long power struggle, has made public his allegiance.

Sir Allan hosted Opposition MPs overnight at his Sunset Lodge Resort on Savo as lobbying intensified with an alleged SBD$300,000 now in circulation from Government for any last minute defection by Opposition MPs.

With regards to law and order, and to avoid a repeat of the April 18 riot that erupted from the parliament house last year, the Solomon Islands Police Force and the RAMSI Police and military have stepped up patrol and surveillance in Honiara.

Parliament will be out of bound to the public during tomorrow's meeting, except for members of the media and local and overseas dignitaries.


(link (http://www.solomontimes.com/news.aspx?nwID=1081))

I know this is going to sound really ignorant, but here it goes.

What would a vote of no confidence do exactly? Is it like a nonbinding resolution where the parliament officially notates in the record that they object to the current administration, or does it actually force an administration change?

Sogavare is actually on very poor terms with RAMSI.

Anyway, here's an article from the Solomon Times:



(link (http://www.solomontimes.com/news.aspx?nwID=1081))

Well, either way having foreign police and troops in a sovereign nation sounds like more 'geostrategic interventionism' that we saw so much of from the US in the Pacific, I would say it's plain imperialism. Sogavare should kick them out immediately.

I don't know what's the bigger joke, the Solomon Islands or the New Zealandese Military.

What would a vote of no confidence do exactly? Is it like a nonbinding resolution where the parliament officially notates in the record that they object to the current administration, or does it actually force an administration change?

There's no such thing as a stupid/ignorant question except for the one that goes un-asked. My understanding of a vote of no confidence is that it would force a new administration. That's the way the British work. If the Prime Minister loses a vote then he is ousted from office.

The Solomon Islands have the best motto:
To lead is to serve.

To answer the question a little more clearly; under the Westminster System, a vote of no confidence (or denying supply) is sufficient to require a change of government. If no other party can form a government, then an election is held. The best example of a no-confidence vote leading to an election was the 2006 Canadian election.

You have to remember that under the Westminster System, the Prime Minister is merely the Head of Government; the Head of State is someone else, such as the Queen

Also, I happened to forget we have a military; I suppose our army of forty soldiers is all there in the Solomons - thank you Helen Clark for making us look like idiots. In fact, if we had an army, we could have invaded Fiji for their military coup as well; but no, we must use diplomacy and other useless tactics.

To answer the question a little more clearly; under the Westminster System, a vote of no confidence (or denying supply) is sufficient to require a change of government.

Indeed. The Solomon Islands have a Westminster system, and this is what's just happened:


The Sogavare-led government has been defeated in a no confidence motion ending weeks of what has been described as a political crisis.

Amidst high security, both in Parliament and in downtown Honiara, the motion of no confidence was today tabled by a former Minister of the Sogavare-led government, Dr. Derick Sikua. Dr. Sikua is one of the five Ministers that defected to the Opposition almost four weeks ago.

After much debate, the motion was then put to a vote, 25 voted in favor of the motion and 22 voted against, one Government Minister abstained. Manasseh Sogavare was gracious in defeat stating that he holds no grudges against those that deserted him. In a show of good faith, Manasseh Sogavare crossed the floor of Parliament and shook hands with his former cabinet Ministers.

Manasseh Sogavare becomes the first Prime Minister in the political history of Solomon Islands since independence in 1978 to be voted out in a no confidence motion.

It is expected that the Parliament will meet early next week to elect a new Prime Minister.


(link (http://www.solomontimes.com/news.aspx?nwID=1090))


fact, if we had an army, we could have invaded Fiji for their military coup as well; but no, we must use diplomacy and other useless tactics.

Please tell me that was sarcasm, and that you would not seriously advocate an armed confrontation between the New Zealand military and the RFMF.

Are you even aware of the issues behind the coup?