What is going on in the Solomon Islands?

The Solomon Islands election triggered riots and 90% of Chinatown was destroyed

(News background)

Honiara, the capital of the Solomon Islands in the South Pacific, suffered a massacre on the 18th. Protests triggered by the election. The protests later turned into riots. Chinatown in the center of Honiara was severely affected. Many Chinese shops were looted and burned. Some of the residences of Chinese businessmen were also burned down by gangsters, causing considerable losses.

Given that China has no diplomatic mission in Solomon, the Chinese Embassy in Papua New Guinea (the Embassy) attaches great importance to this incident. After learning about the riots late at night on the 18th, the embassy immediately held an emergency meeting to analyze the direction of the riots and the response measures to be taken.

Chinese Ambassador to Papua New Guinea Wei Ruixing said in an interview with a reporter from the Morning Post that on the afternoon of April 18, local time, about 600 people held a demonstration in front of the Parliament Building due to dissatisfaction with the election results of Prime Minister Solomon. , which then turned into a riot. Because Chinatown was close to the Parliament Building, it became the main target of the attack. Most of the Chinese shops were looted and burned during the riots.

Affected hundreds of overseas Chinese

"More than 20 overseas Chinese shops were burned, which is estimated to have affected hundreds of overseas Chinese. Currently, most of the overseas Chinese are in churches, hotels, and hospitals. , police stations and other places to seek refuge, and there are no reports of casualties. Some injured people have been treated in hospitals," Ambassador Wei said.

“Since China and Papua New Guinea do not have diplomatic relations, the embassy of Papua New Guinea negotiated with the police chief of Papua New Guinea over the phone to express China’s concerns and request the other party to take immediate measures to stop the robbery and arson against Chinese and overseas Chinese. , to protect their personal and property safety," Ambassador Wei said. "At the same time, the embassy also learned about the situation from the Australian High Commission in the country and asked it to convey China's concerns to the 'Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands' led by Australia and New Zealand, and Take all possible measures to protect the lives and property of Chinese citizens.”

In addition to contacting government agencies, the embassy also contacted the International Red Cross in Solomon through the International Committee of the Red Cross in Papua New Guinea. Get in touch. At the request of the International Red Cross Society of Papua New Guinea, the Solomon International Red Cross Society provided necessary items, including food and drinking water, to the local overseas Chinese who were trapped there. It is reported that currently about 500 local Chinese in Solomon have received assistance from the Red Cross.

Thick smoke billowed over Chinatown

The trigger for the riot was the Solomon Islands parliamentary election on April 5 this year. The new parliament subsequently elected former Prime Minister Snyder Reaney as prime minister of the government, causing dissatisfaction among opponents. They accused the election results of being pre-arranged and called for a new election.

Hundreds of demonstrators held protests at the Parliament Building, the Prime Minister's Office and the downtown business district on the 18th, and had fierce clashes with the Australian and New Zealand police who maintained law and order. The protests turned into riots that night, with Chinatown, located near the Capitol, bearing the brunt.

Zhao Yanbo, counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Papua New Guinea, said in a telephone interview with Xinhua News Agency reporters that after the riot, the embassy staff immediately contacted the head of the Australian police force in Solomon and local Chinese businessmen.

According to information obtained by the embassy, ??most of the buildings in Chinatown were destroyed in the riots. Many Chinese shops were looted and burned by gangsters, and many cars were burned down. Some gangsters even broke into Chinese homes, stole valuable items and burned the houses down. Thick smoke billowed over Chinatown, and there were cries. Most of the Chinese had fled before the gangsters arrived, but at least one Chinese businessman was injured in the riot. Solomon Broadcasting Corporation quoted information provided by local hospital staff as saying that the hospital had treated several Chinese with minor injuries.

Solomon Police Chief Shane Castles said that gangsters with ulterior motives took advantage of the protests to loot and loot, and Chinatown, where many shops are gathered, became their primary target. Castles said that peacekeeping police used "chemical substances" to try to disperse the demonstrators and erected roadblocks in Chinatown and surrounding areas, but due to a serious lack of police force, the police were unable to fully control the situation. The gangsters quickly dispersed and fled when faced with a large number of police, but soon gathered in another place to attack new targets.

Solomon Government spokesman Johnson Honimae said on the 19th that about 90% of the buildings in Chinatown were destroyed and the entire area was in a state of anarchy and chaos. "Gangsters and robbers are so rampant that they even throw stones and bricks at passing police patrol cars," Honimae said.

Consider evacuation as the situation worsens

Counselor Zhao said that this riot had a great impact on the local overseas Chinese, making them feel very anxious and sad. Some Chinese have made another request to the embassy to evacuate their nationals. Many Chinese have properties in the Solomon Islands that they find difficult to abandon. If the situation had not worsened to the extreme, they would not have chosen to leave.

According to Ambassador Wei, the "Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands" led by Australia and New Zealand has made a request to Australia for increased police assistance.

Australian Prime Minister John Howard announced on the 19th that 110 Australian soldiers will take four C130 transport planes to the Solomon Islands to maintain order that day and are expected to arrive in Honiara that evening. 70 Australian Federal Police officers will also go to the South Pacific island nation for reinforcements. New Zealand also decided to send 30 police officers and 25 soldiers to the Solomon Islands.

Ambassador Wei said that the embassy will take further measures based on the development of the local situation. "If the situation does not worsen, the embassy will mainly take the form of assistance to help the stranded local Chinese," he said. "But if the situation worsens, the embassy will not rule out the possibility of arranging the return of the Chinese in Solomon."

The Deputy Director-General of the Consular Department of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has made an urgent appointment with officials from the embassies of Papua New Guinea, Australia, and New Zealand in China to inform them of the relevant situation and ask them to provide necessary assistance when needed.