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Solomons seek NZ military aid

George Block

The Solomon Islands Government has formally requested assistance from New Zealand after days of rioting, violence and unrest in the capital Honiara.

Stuff understands some personnel from 1st Battalion, Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment, received orders yesterday to assemble at their base in Linton ahead of a possible deployment.

No decision to deploy had been made by the New Zealand Government last night. Any decision would have to come from Cabinet. Australia has deployed about 100 soldiers and police officers to Honiara following a request from the Solomon Islands.

The troops returning to the Linton Military Camp, near Palmerston North, are part of the army’s High Readiness Task Unit, kept on standby in case they are needed urgently.

A spokeswoman for the Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta said in a statement New Zealand had received a request for support from the Solomon Islands.

‘‘This afternoon New Zealand received a formal request for assistance from Solomon Islands Government, and we are urgently looking at options to respond to this request,’’ she said. said.

On Friday, Trade Minister David Parker issued a statement expressing concern over the unrest, but at that stage no request for assistance had been received.

AP reports the rioting and looting began last Wednesday following a peaceful protest in Honiara. The protesters were mainly people from Malatia, the most populous island.

There has been decades of tension between Malaita and Guadalcanal, where Honiara is located, director of the Lowy Institute think-tank’s Pacific Islands programme Jonathan Pryke told AP.

The protesters demanded the resignation of Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare, who has been widely criticised by political leaders on Malaita for a decision two years ago to cut diplomatic ties with Taiwan, favouring mainland China, AP reported.

Downtown Honiara and its Chinatown district were a focus for protesters and looters.

Sogavare’s Government has been critical of the millions of dollars worth of aid from the US which was reportedly pledged directly to Malaita.

He blamed outside influence, a reference to the US and Taiwan, for the unrest.

Australian media reported that on Friday three bodies were found by police in a burned-out building.

National News

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2021-12-01T08:00:00.0000000Z

2021-12-01T08:00:00.0000000Z

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