greatreporter.com, December 31st, 2006
Area: 28,370 sq km (10,954 sq mi)
Population (2006 est.): 482,000
Chief of state: Queen Elizabeth II, represented by
Governor-General Sir Nathaniel
Waena
Head of government:
Prime Ministers Sir Allan
Kemakeza, Snyder
Rini from April 20, and, from May 4, Manasseh
Sogavare
The year 2006 proved to be a difficult one in
Solomon Islands
, after a period of political stability and economic growth that had followed the July 2003 establishment of the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI). The Australian-led multinational security force investigated, tried, and convicted a number of people for crimes dating back to 2000.
The April 5 election resulted in the selection of a new
prime minister, Snyder
Rini
, but he resigned after eight days amid antigovernment riots and was replaced by a former prime minister, Manasseh
Sogavare
, who had campaigned against RAMSI. Despite apparent early entente between
Sogavare
and RAMSI officials, tensions arose over cabinet appointments. The prime minister designated two MPs whom RAMSI forces had arrested for inciting riots that resulted in the burning and looting of
Honiara
's Chinatown.
Sogavare
persisted, but, faced with domestic and international protest, he capitulated and appointed replacements to his cabinet. He again found himself in conflict with RAMSI over the selection in September of
Julian
Moti
as attorney general.
Moti
, an Australian citizen who was wanted by
Australia
on child-sex charges, took refuge in the
Solomons
' embassy in
Papua New Guinea
before being spirited back to the
Solomons
, where RAMSI and local police personnel arrested him for immigration offenses.
Sogavare
threatened to evict RAMSI forces, but a compromise agreement was brokered at the Pacific Islands Forum meeting in October.
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