PACIFIC ISLANDS REPORT

Pacific Islands Development Program/East-West Center
With Support From Center for Pacific Islands Studies/University of Hawai‘i

By Sean Dorney

SYDNEY, Australia (ABC News Online, April 23) – An Opposition Member of Parliament in the Solomon Islands has eluded armed police from the Australian-led Regional Assistance Mission (RAMSI) who tried to arrest him in the capital Honiara earlier this evening.

Charles Dausabea, the Member for East Honiara, left the Mendana Hotel about 45 minutes before the heavily armed contingent of Australian and New Zealand RAMSI officers raided his room.

They banged on the door with a rifle butt and called out to him but when they entered the room using a master key he was gone.

Mr Dausabea is apparently wanted for questioning in relation to the riots last week that followed the election of the new Solomon Islands Prime Minister, Snyder Rini.

Another Opposition Member of Parliament, Member for Central Honiara Nelson Ne'e, has appeared in a specially convened court at the Central Honiara Police Station charged with two counts on intimidation and one of managing an unlawful society.

He has been remanded in custody at the police station until tomorrow.

A third Opposition MP who was arrested last night for breaking the curfew has been granted bail.

The Solomon Islands Opposition has denied organising or instigating the violence that erupted in the Honiara, after last Tuesday's election.

The leader of the Opposition group in Parliament, Job Dudley Tausinga, has categorically denied claims by Prime Minister Rini that the Opposition was behind the looting and burning.

Police believe a certain level of organisation was behind last week's rioting and looting in Honiara.

The [third] man, who Commissioner Castles has refused to name, is understood to be Patrick Vahoe, the MP offered the Home Affairs Ministry by new Prime Minister Snyder Rini. Mr Vahoe turned the position down to switch to the opposition.

Mr Rini [is expected to] face a vote of no confidence from opposition MPs when Parliament opens. They say support for his ouster is growing because members of the new coalition government, including one newly appointed cabinet minister, are defecting.

Mr Rini has said he will not step down because he still has the numbers to govern.

Australian Broadcasting Corp.: www.abc.net.au/ra

Copyright © 2005 Radio Australia. All Rights Reserved