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Jack Lau

Riots in the Solomon Islands have left hundreds of Chinese citizens homeless, Beijing’s embassy said on Monday as the Pacific nation’s prime minister faced a no-confidence vote.
The embassy said it was coordinating resources and help among Chinese nationals.
“Some have housed people who lost their homes while some have generously donated clothes and other items,” it said.
The embassy also said it supported the government of Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare in its efforts to quell the unrest.
The turmoil in Honiara began on November 24 with a peaceful protest by Malaita for Democracy, a pro-Taiwan group from Malaita province, home to many opponents of the Beijing-friendly Sogavare.
The demonstrators were protesting against Sogavare’s decision to switch official ties from Taipei to Beijing after his 2019 electoral victory, as well as against alleged corruption and unemployment.


As the dispute devolved into riots, four people were killed in the city’s Chinatown, shops were looted and dozens of buildings were torched, with police using tear gas and rubber bullets to try to quell the unrest.
The country’s central bank put the damage bill from the riots at US$67 million, with the loss of about thousand jobs.
Without offering evidence or details, Sogavare has blamed the riots on intervention by foreign forces aimed at forcing him out of office. He also accused Malaita of being “Taiwan’s agent”.
Taiwan’s foreign ministry has denied involvement in the unrest.
Malaita is the Solomons’ most populous province and is governed by Premier Daniel Suidani, who supports Taiwan and the United States.
Suidani has banned mainland Chinese businesses from the province and called for an independence referendum.
Beijing and Taipei have been courting Honiara with development and Covid-19 aid. Before the diplomatic switch, Taipei had given Solomons’ legislators and senior officials small grants.
Even after Taiwanese diplomats withdrew from the Solomons, Taipei sent 5,000 masks and 52 tonnes of rice to the province as part of its “Taiwan is Helping” Covid-19 diplomacy campaign.


On Monday, Sogavare confronted a vote of no confidence brought by opposition leader Matthew Wale.
Sogavare survived the vote, with 32 parliamentarians supporting him, 15 in favor of his ousting and two abstentions.
In the heated day-long debate, Wale accused Sogavare of maintaining his rule using Beijing’s funds.
He condemned the riots “in the strongest terms”, but said: “It pales, Mr Speaker, in comparison to the looting happening at the top at the expense of ordinary Solomon Islanders.”
Sogavare said his removal would amount to succumbing to lawlessness and hooliganism.
He also said Beijing’s funds were essential for the development of Solomon Islands.
“If I resign, sir, it would be a message to our young children and youth, Mr Speaker, that whenever we are not happy with those in authority, we take the laws into our own hands,” Sogavare said. “This is a very dangerous message to our people and future generations.”
Is US-China struggle behind Solomon riots – or ‘just icing on the cake’?
Businesses in Honiara remained closed ahead of the vote, as military and police officers from Australia, Fiji, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea maintained order.
Solomon Islands police also imposed a temporary liquor ban and the force’s commissioner warned social media users not to instigate hatred and violence.
“Police will not hesitate to arrest anyone who posts inflammatory comments that are likely to exacerbate the current situation,” commissioner Mostyn Mangau said on Sunday.


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Taiwan

‘Hundreds of Chinese left homeless’ in Solomon Islands riots

Australian Federal Police inspect burnt out areas of Chinatown in Honiara on November 30. Photo: AP

Solomon Islands PM Sogavare survives no-confidence vote after riots

Australian soldiers conduct a patrol of the burnt-out area in Honiara’s Chinatown. Photo: AFP

Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare. Photo: AFP

Solomon Islands politician calls for switch in diplomatic ties back to Taiwan

Riots shook Honiara, the capital of the Solomon Islands, last month. Photo: AP

Solomon Islands PM defies calls to resign, says riots orchestrated to topple him

Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare vows to stay in power after riots. Photo: Robert Taupongi / AFP

Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang during a visit to Beijing. Photo: Wang Zhao / AFP

Aftermath of a looted street in Honiara’s Chinatown, Solomon Islands. Photo: Gary Ramage / AP

Solomon Islands unrest: three killed in Honiara’s Chinatown, burnt bodies found

A building burns in the Chinatown area of Honiara, capital of the Solomon Islands, on Friday. Photo: AP

An aerial view shows burned-out buildings in Honiara’s Chinatown on November 27 after calm returned to the Solomon Islands’ capital following days of rioting that left at least three dead and reduced sections of the city to smouldering ruins. Photo: AFP

Debris lies on the street outside damaged shops in the Chinatown district of Honiara on Friday. Photo: AP

Australian soldiers talking to local residents during a patrol in the Solomon Islands capital of Honiara. Photo: Australian Defence Force via AFP

People walk past burnt-out buildings in Honiara’s Chinatown on Saturday. Photo: AFP

Australian soldiers arriving at Honiara airport in the Solomon Islands on 26 November, brought in to help restore order. Police have found three bodies in a burned-out building and made more than a hundred arrests following rioting in the South Pacific capital in recent days. Photo: EPA-EFE via Australian Department of Defence. 

As China opens embassy in Solomon Islands, a bitter feud over values fuels separatist bid

Kennedy Island in the remote Western Province of the Solomon Islands seen in 2003. Photo: AFP

Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang attend a signing ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China October 9, 2019. REUTERS/Thomas Peter

graphic for online CHINA PAPUA NEW GUINEA FEDERATED STATES OF MICRONESIA PALAU NAURA MARSHALL ISLANDS KIRIBATI SAMOA TUVALU COOK ISLANDS SOLOMON ISLANDS NIUE FIJI TONGA VANUATU AUSTRALIA NEW ZEALAND Recognises Beijing Recognises Taipei 500km SCMP

(191020) -- SOLOMON ISLANDS, Oct. 20, 2019 (Xinhua) -- Photo taken on Oct. 10, 2019 shows the view of Honiara, the capital of Solomon Islands. (Photo by Zhu Hongye/Xinhua)

Chinese Ambassador to the Solomon Islands Li Ming, right, and Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare attend the opening ceremony on Monday of the new Chinese Embassy in the Solomon Islands. Photo: Xinhua

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Beijing’s embassy says it is coordinating aid to those who have lost their homes in Honiara riots
Prime minister survives parliamentary no-confidence vote brought by opposition



Beijing’s embassy says it is coordinating aid to those who have lost their homes in Honiara riots.


Australia

Solomon Islands

‘Hundreds of Chinese left homeless’ in Solomon Islands riots

.css-1mniedq{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;} Beijing’s embassy says it is coordinating aid to those who have lost their homes in Honiara riots Prime minister survives parliamentary no-confidence vote brought by opposition

Beijing’s embassy says it is coordinating aid to those who have lost their homes in Honiara riots

Prime minister survives parliamentary no-confidence vote brought by opposition