Flash-Back: In July 2003 in Townsville, Australia, leaders of the Pacific's largest states signed a non-agression pact that paved the way for Australia and Pacific troops to enter Solomon Islands to restore security and democratic order. RAMSI became the child of this pact. (Photo by Selwyn Manning, courtesy of Scoop.)

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By PMC Newsdesk.

Tonga and Samoa have been officially thanked by the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI) for the two nations’ commitment toward rebuilding the Solomon Islands since 2003.

RAMSI issued a statement this week noting the hundreds of Samoans and Tongans who have helped make the Solomons more stable since civil unrest, murder and violence between sectarian inter-island groups and militia drove the Melanesian state to its knees in the years leading up to 2003.

RAMSI’s Graeme Wilson visited Tonga and Samoa from 21-25 June as part of a series of visits he has been making to RAMSI contributing countries since taking up the position of Special Coordinator 18 months ago.

He said in a statement: ““RAMSI’s regional nature is its underlying strength and we value the participation of every Forum Island country”, Mr Wilson said.

In 2003, a Pacific region-wide force was established to restore security to the Solomons and to help the nation rebuild its civil and governmental infrastructure.

A non-agression-pact was signed to this effect in Townsville, Australia, in 2003 where prime ministers representing the bulk of the Pacific Islands Forum’s member states agreed to send troops, police, and civil servants to the Solomons so peace and order could be restored and sustained while stable Solomon Islands democracy could be ensured.

Prime Minister of Tonga, Dr Feleti Sevele, said in the RAMSI statement: “Having been with RAMSI from the start, we are strongly committed to the Mission and to playing our part in its ongoing success”, he said.

Samoa’s Acting Prime Minister, Misa Telefoni, also confirmed his country’s commitment to RAMSI: “I congratulate you on the great job RAMSI is doing”, the Acting Prime Minister told the Special Coordinator. “I know the work is not easy but the partnership between RAMSI and the Solomon Islands Government is making good progress,” he added.

Australia had dominated RAMSI since 2003, having injected A$800 million into RAMSI in the first three years of it having been established.

But by 2006 the then Solomon Islands prime minister, Manasseh Sogavare, demanded Australia ease off the control it had subsequently asserted over his nation. A crisis developed in October 2006 after the prime minister’s office was secured and searched by security police, whom Sogavare insisted were under Australia’s control. The police and soldiers were searching for evidence against Julian Moti, who Sogavare wished to appoint as attorney general. Moti was then wanted by Australia Federal Police to face historic child sex charges – charges which Moti had already been acquitted of by Vanuatu courts. Moti has since been equitted of the charges brought before Australian courts.

In 2006, leaders of the Pacific’s forum states agreed to have the leaders of Fiji, Papua New Guinea, and Tonga consider a five-point-plan put before the PIF leaders summit by Sogavare that called for:

* Restoration of the regional charter of RAMSI
* Establishment of a Forum Ministerial team to oversee RAMSI operations
* An Independent Review of RAMSI
* Review of RAMSI
* Clear demarcation between RAMSI and Australia.

Since then, Sogavare was replaced by Dr Derek Sikua as prime minister. Australia and Honiara have re-established a cooperative relationship, particularly after John Howard was replaced by former prime minister Kevin Rudd in the 2007 elections.

To follow is the RAMSI statement.

Special Coordinator visits Tonga and Samoa

RAMSI’s Special Coordinator has paid tribute to the hundreds of Tongans and Samoans who have helped rebuild Solomon Islands since the Regional Assistance Mission was first deployed in 2003.

Speaking on his return from visiting Tonga and Samoa, Mr Wilson said the two founding members of RAMSI had made outstanding contributions to the Mission over the past seven years.

“RAMSI’s regional nature is its underlying strength and we value the participation of every Forum Island country”, Mr Wilson said.

In the case of Samoa and Tonga, both countries have contributed police and civilian advisers while Tonga also provides soldiers to RAMSI’s military contingent.

The Prime Minister of Tonga, Dr Feleti Sevele, told the Special Coordinator that his country was proud of its contribution to the important work RAMSI had been doing since 2003.

“Having been with RAMSI from the start, we are strongly committed to the Mission and to playing our part in its ongoing success”, he said.

Tonga’s contribution to RAMSI currently comprises a military platoon (34 men), 7 police and a senior civilian adviser, Linda Folaumoetu’I, who is the Chief Crown Counsel Adviser in the Attorney General’s Chambers.

Samoa’s Acting Prime Minister, Misa Telefoni, also confirmed his country’s commitment to RAMSI and expressed his appreciation for the excellent work RAMSI was doing in partnership with the Solomon Islands Government and the Pacific Islands Forum.

“I congratulate you on the great job RAMSI is doing”, the Acting Prime Minister told the Special Coordinator. “I know the work is not easy but the partnership between RAMSI and the Solomon Islands Government is making good progress”, he added.

Over the past seven years, Samoa has contributed consistently to RAMSI’s Participating Police Force and has also provided some civilian advisers.

Mr Wilson visited Tonga and Samoa from 21-25 June as part of a series of visits he has been making to RAMSI contributing countries since taking up the position of Special Coordinator 18 months ago.

Mr Wilson said he was delighted that both the Tongan and Samoan Governments expressed their strong support for the RAMSI photographic exhibition that will be launched at the Pacific Islands Forum in Vanuatu next month to mark the 10th anniversary of the Biketawa Declaration, under which RAMSI came about.

The exhibition will then visit other contributing countries and be used to help educate the region about the work of RAMSI’s partnership with Solomon Islands.