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| Down Under |
| Protest after Solomon Islands vote |
| 2006-04-18 |
| PROTESTERS threw stones and set fire to a police vehicle outside Solomon Islands parliament today after MPs selected a political insider as its new prime minister despite a big anti-government swing at a general election a few weeks ago. A number of officers belonging to an Australian-led police force were injured as they stopped a crowd from entering the parliament where newly elected Prime Minister Snider Rini was holed up with other MPs. A number of shops in central Honiara were also stoned and broken into. An Australian police helicopter hovered over the scene. Some of the protesters demanded that Mr Rini, 56, quit by sunset. This morning Mr Rini, who had been deputy prime minister under unpopular outgoing leader Allan Kemakeza, beat two other candidates for the top job in a two-round, two-and-half-hour secret ballot in the 50-member legislature. Mr Rini immediately defended the status quo saying he would uphold Mr Kemakeza's policies to ensure the impoverished Pacific nation recovers from years of ethnic gang violence. Mr Kemakeza allowed Australian-led peacekeepers in to quell the fighting three years ago. Today Mr Rini said the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI) "will leave only when security is in place". "I can assure the people of this country that my new government will continue the program of peace and reconciliation, economic recovery, and sustain RAMSI in Solomon Islands so that the country will enjoy peace," he said in a statement. Mr Rini – who heads the Association of Independent Members of Parliament – is expected to bring in several other parties to form a coalition government largely based on the remnants of Mr Kemakeza's administration. He said a new 20-member cabinet would be named tomorrow. More than half the old parliament lost their seats at the April 5 election, including 11 ministers. The result had raised expectations of a new-look government. Some protesters jeered and others appeared stunned when they heard that Mr Rini had won today, saying most Solomon Islanders had voted for change. Some in the crowd demanded a new election be held and called for opposition candidate Job Dudley Tausinga to be made prime minister. In the first round of the ballot of MPs today, Tausinga polled 22 votes, Rini 17 votes and a former prime minister Manasseh Sogavare 11. With Sogavare eliminated, Rini garnered 27 votes to beat Tausinga on 23. A Tausinga spokesman, former prime minister Francis Billy Hilly, claimed today's vote was influenced by money. "Some of our members were promised between $SI30 ($25) to $SI50,000 ($9800) if they voted for the other group," Mr Hilly said. Mr Rini told journalists said the protesters had a democratic right to make their feelings known. "However, if they were not happy with the results of today's election, they should forward their disagreement through proper channels, not on the streets," Mr Rini said. |
| Posted by:Oztralian |