Categories

Intervention in the Solomon Islands@ (26)

Links

Pages: [<<] 1 2 3 4 [>>]

Silence is health!

Part of the fall out from our last five years of social unrest is to deepen the custom of our people keeping quiet when things go wrong. In fact, the greater the crime, the deeper the silence. Fr. Kevin Barr, a long-time Suva resident, writing about Fijian Melanesia, calls it the Culture of Silence. Solomons people not only practice their own Culture of Silence but have added an overlay of five years of intimidation. Keeping silent over these past five years has been good for one's health.

http://www.dev-zone.org/kcdocs/6308Roughan.html

(Added: Mon Oct 13 2003   Hits: 126)

Bomb is still ticking!

In this commentary John Roughan makes the case that Solomon Islands leaders never willingly tackled head on the sources of the country's deep seated difficulties, which are people centred and cannot be fixed by dole outs or relying on a growing economy.

http://www.dev-zone.org/kcdocs/6214Roughan.html

(Added: Fri Oct 03 2003   Hits: 179)

RAMSI and Maasina Ruru

In this commentary, John Roughan sheds some historical light on a pre-independence movement in the Solomon Islands known as Maasina Ruru. This movement initiated structural change in areas like education and employment, and points to the need for meaningful educational reform in the present, according to Roughan.

http://www.dev-zone.org/kcdocs/6200Roughan.html

(Added: Mon Sep 29 2003   Hits: 167)

One Size Does Not Fit All

In this commentary Shirley Randell discusses Australian Intervention in the Pacific, aid to the Pacific, and the situation in the Solomon Islands.

http://www.dev-zone.org/kcdocs/6164randell.html

(Added: Wed Sep 24 2003   Modified: Fri Oct 22 2004   Hits: 304)

Australian aid funds Pitokoli Health Clinic, Solomon Islands

Aus. Govt. Press Release Sept. 19th: "Once opened in November, the clinic will provide basic health services, including maternity and malaria analysis and treatment of inpatients and outpatients... The community of almost 2000 people that live in and around Pitokoli will now have access to basic health services." - Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs Mrs Chris Gallus.

http://www.reliefweb.int/w/rwb.nsf/UNID/7997A6B581DA52AC85256DA6006EF0D8

(Added: Mon Sep 22 2003   Modified: Wed Oct 27 2004   Hits: 153)

Time to clean house, Sir Allan!

By John Roughan, Honiara, Sept 15 2003. Roughan writes "Stand down or dismiss those ministers who destroyed this wonderful country of ours. Read history carefully, Mr. PM. Your term in office, I predict, will stretch no further than early 2004. By cleaning out dead wood, criminals and incompetents now, you underscore that what you did in our Dark Days of the Gun had been forced on you. You were personally under threat and your family's safety was in question. You now have a chance to prove that your heart had always been in the right place but the threats against you were severe."

http://www.dev-zone.org/kcdocs/6111Roughan.html

(Added: Mon Sep 15 2003   Modified: Tue Dec 06 2005   Hits: 174)

National Recovery Plan . . . misses the point!

The Solomon Islands government's National Economic Recovery and Development Plan seriously fails to address the Solomon Islands' fundamental illness, according to John Roughan. He says "A credible recovery plan must be based on understanding that any movement of Solomon Islands towards a peaceful, more self-reliant stable nation has been severely disrupted by conflict and instability."

http://www.dev-zone.org/kcdocs/6072Roughan.html

(Added: Thu Sep 11 2003   Modified: Mon Dec 05 2005   Hits: 234)

Land . . . is the issue!

By John Roughan, Sept. 1 2003. Solomon Islanders are deeply convinced that the land issue lies at the heart of the country's current problems. Our many national difficulties directly link back to the whole sensitive feelings about land. It's at that heart and centre that drove (and continues to drive) the last five years of Social Unrest. But exactly what is it about land that is the problem? Why are land-issues considered so fundamental that people drove former friends, sometimes relatives, away and at times hurt, destroy and even kill them?

http://www.dev-zone.org/kcdocs/6009Roughan.html

(Added: Mon Sep 01 2003   Modified: Mon Dec 05 2005   Hits: 427)

Beyond Operation Helpem Fren - An Agenda for Development in the Solomon Islands

In light of the Australian led intervention into the Solomon Islands, Oxfam Community Aid Abroad draws attention to the underlying causes of the violence there and fears that these problems will resurface if not addressed by long term development programs. Solomon Islanders will face ongoing upheaval if they are not directly involved in tackling the combination of local and global issues that affect them. July 2003

http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/RWB.NSF/db900SID/SKAR-647H8S?OpenDocument

(Added: Wed Aug 27 2003   Modified: Mon Sep 11 2006   Hits: 304)

Beyond Operation Helpem Fren - An Agenda for Development in the Solomon Islands (Executive Summary)

Executive Summary of Oxfam Community Aid Abroad's report regarding intervention in the Solomon Islands.

http://www.caa.org.au/world/pacific/solomons/execsum.pdf

(Added: Wed Aug 27 2003   Modified: Mon Dec 05 2005   Hits: 186)

Beyond Operation Helpem Fren - An Agenda for Development in the Solomon Islands (Full Report - PDF)

Full text in PDF format of Oxfam Community Aid Abroad's report regarding intervention in the Solomon Islands.

http://www.caa.org.au/world/pacific/solomons/report.pdf

(Added: Wed Aug 27 2003   Modified: Mon Dec 05 2005   Hits: 237)

Intervention Awareness Corner - People First Network (PFnet)

This website maintained by the Solomon Islands Development Administration and Participatory Planning Programme states "Operation Helpem Fren is here as friends, to work in partnership with you, to restore promise to your country, to restore hopes for a better life to you and your children. For too long this country has suffered at the hands of a small number of militants and criminals who have terrorised Solomon Islands society, brought the country to its knees, and done a disservice to the reputation of Solomon Islands as a good and generous people."

http://www.peoplefirst.net.sb/intervention/Default.htm

(Added: Mon Aug 25 2003   Modified: Fri Jul 14 2006   Hits: 412)

Public approval survey of Solomons intervention - July 2003

24 August 2003. Great Expectations? No, Miracles! This survey shows the overwhelming support for the intervention at different levels of society: rural, town, men, women, young people. Almost 94% of more than 2,000 people contacted gave this the latest intervention a strong thumbs-up signal. A survey conducted by the Solomon Islands Development Trust - SIDT.

http://www.dev-zone.org/kcdocs/5975SIDT.html

(Added: Mon Aug 25 2003   Modified: Fri Oct 22 2004   Hits: 145)

"We've seen the enemy and they is US!"

The above quote comes from a comic strip character "Pogo" when he worried out loud about the weakening environment of his swamp-home near the Mississippi River bayous. But he found out it was the very ones living in the bayous who were destroying them. This same quote says much to us today in the Solomons. John Roughan, 18th August.

http://www.dev-zone.org/kcdocs/5940Roughan200803.html

(Added: Wed Aug 20 2003   Hits: 265)

Report card on Solomon Islands Governments past and present

By the Solomon Islands Development Trust (SIDT), 2003. Since 1989, Solomon Islanders across the nation have passed judgment on how well--or poorly--the governments of the day have served people's basic interests. Over the past 15 years and through six governments, Solomon citizens have graded their political masters on how they have served them in four critical areas of quality of living. All Report Card scores (as listed in the table) measure the same four fundamental parts of life: Health Services, Education opportunities, Resource help and Availability of Money. People, rural and urban, men and women, young and old know well about sickness and getting well, having their children in school getting a good education. Solomon Islanders have first hand experience about their land, forest and sea resources and how government helps them use them better, connecting them to markets and assisting villagers to get the best return on them. Citizens know what it takes to earn money for daily, ordinary things of life.

http://www.dev-zone.org/kcdocs/5914SIDT.html

(Added: Mon Aug 18 2003   Modified: Fri Oct 22 2004   Hits: 231)

Better to work with the devil you know . . . !

By John Roughan. Honiara, 11 August 2003. Over the last few weeks, I with many others have called for Sir Allan and his government to step aside, to resign. But that is only half the problem our country faces! Who then in parliament should take his place? Would a new PM be any better than the one we suffer with now?

http://www.dev-zone.org/kcdocs/5864Roughan110803.html

(Added: Tue Aug 12 2003   Hits: 198)

Local people must be involved in the rebuilding of Solomon Islands

Caritas Australia, Media Releases - 11th July 2003. Caritas Australia has released a position paper today calling on the Australian government to rethink the proposal to ignore serious crimes committed in the Solomon Islands before its intervention commences. "Justice is a precondition for permanent reconciliation and peace. Amnesties do not provide justice," Caritas Australia spokesman, Jamie Isbister, Acting National Director said today. The paper also highlights the growing crisis caused by the increasing number of small arms concentrating in Melanesia, particularly in the Solomon Islands.

http://www.caritas.org.au/newsroom/2003/july11.htm

(Added: Fri Aug 08 2003   Modified: Fri Oct 22 2004   Hits: 108)

Sir Allan and Cabinet: RESIGN, NOW!

By John Roughan, 6 August 2003. Forget about parties! Solomons doesn't have parties but groups of men (unfortunately we don't have a single woman) who only pursue special interests.

http://www.dev-zone.org/kcdocs/5850SirAllanResign.html

(Added: Thu Aug 07 2003   Hits: 136)

Australian Forces Must Expand Focus in Solomons, Consult with Islanders

HONOLULU (July 22) -- Australian-led intervention forces arriving Thursday in the Solomon Islands have widespread public support there, but it will take more than restoring law and order to bring long-term stability. The forces also should consult with the islanders on any actions they take. That was the assessment of three Solomon Islanders taking part in an East-West Center conference this week on the future of the violence-torn nation. "The guns will be taken back but what happens to the people who had the guns? What will happen after the Australians return?" asked Joseph Foukona of the Solomon Islands Christian Association Peace Office. "This intervention should bring lasting peace."

http://166.122.164.43/archive/2003/July/07-23-eww.htm

(Added: Thu Jul 31 2003   Modified: Mon Dec 05 2005   Hits: 286)

Two Ways to Boil a Frog

By Tarcisius Tara Kabutaulaka. "In the past couple of years, following the country's civil unrest, Solomon Islanders seem to have developed a high degree of tolerance for the law and (dis)order situation and other social problems in their country. In a way, tolerance is a good thing because it helps people survive in a difficult situation. But, it ceases to be a good thing when people begin to accept their appalling situation as 'normal' and is not bothered to change it." Tarcisius Tara Kabutaulaka, Chief Negotiator for Guadalcanal Province and the Isatabu Freedom Movement (IFM) at the Solomon Islands Peace Conference in 2000, is a leading expert on the Solomon Islands. (East-West Centre Pacific Islands Report)

http://166.122.164.43/archive/2003/June/06-24-tara.htm

(Added: Thu Jul 31 2003   Modified: Mon Dec 05 2005   Hits: 426)

The Troops Have Landed!

John Roughan, Honiara, 28 July 2003. Make no mistake about it, this 'invasion' was unlike any other ever witnessed. Our people, young and old, were counting a blessing in this peaceful and efficient 'invasion'! Three weeks earlier, the Solomon Islands Development Trust (SIDT), a local NGO, conducted a national survey among almost 4,000 Solomon Islanders. Guadalcanal, Malaita, Makira, Honiara, in fact, each of the major islands people took part in the survey. Villagers and town folk were asked whether they agreed with government's idea of inviting foreign soldiers to our country. People's positive response was overwhelming! 97 out of every 100 citizens asked, agreed that it was not simply a good idea but a great idea.

http://www.dev-zone.org/kcdocs/5799Roughan280703.html

(Added: Tue Jul 29 2003   Hits: 159)

New Zealand's Aid in the Solomon Islands - Fact Sheet

NZAID fact sheet outlining its activities in the Solomon Islands. 2004.

http://www.nzaid.govt.nz/library/docs/factsheet-solomons.pdf

(Added: Mon Jul 28 2003   Modified: Thu Oct 19 2006   Hits: 432)

ECSIEP Solomon Islands Update 23 July 2003

The European Centre on Pacific Issues, ECSIEP, was set up in 1992 to improve the quantity and quality of the information flow from the Pacific to Europe. It functions as a service bureau for the Europe Pacific Solidarity Network. Edited by Peter van der Vlies.

http://www.dev-zone.org/kcdocs/5748ECSIEP230703.html

(Added: Thu Jul 24 2003   Hits: 234)

ECSIEP Solomon Islands Update 4 July 2003

The European Centre on Pacific Issues, ECSIEP, was set up in 1992 to improve the quantity and quality of the information flow from the Pacific to Europe. It functions as a service bureau for the Europe Pacific Solidarity Network.

http://www.dev-zone.org/kcdocs/5751ECSIEP040703.html

(Added: Thu Jul 24 2003   Hits: 173)

Preparing New Leaders!

By Dr John Roughan, Honiara. Report after report say the something. Each time a study group from abroad lands on our shores, studies the Solomons' Social Unrest period (the seeds of which were planted among us as early as 1986!) and make recommendations, each and every report speaks about leadership. Or better still the lack of good leadership! These studies whether from our own people or others, point to the poor and unfocused leadership which our people have suffered from especially since 1986.

http://www.sibconline.com.sb/Analysis.htm

(Added: Thu Jul 24 2003   Hits: 204)

Pages: [<<] 1 2 3 4 [>>]