Several buildings were burned in Honiara, the capital of this Pacific archipelago. The government faces pressure after the decision taken in 2019 to end the diplomatic ties with Taiwan, and to establish formal links with China.
Le Monde with AFP. and Reuters
Fire buildings, thousands of protesters invading the Chinese district of Honiara, the capital of the Solomon Islands … Nothing seems to stop the protest, Thursday, November 25, in the Pacific archipelago despite the curfew imposed on the continuation of the riots of the day before.
Wednesday, hundreds of people demonstrated, calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Manassah Sogavare, before going to the Chinese district of Honiara, where they burned a police station and looted businesses until the intervention of the police with tear gas. Following these incidents, Mr. Sogavare ordered an immediate curfew in Honiara, deploring a “sad and unhappy event aimed at bringing down a democratically elected government”.
The Government of Solomon Islands faces pressures after the 2019 decision to end diplomatic ties with Taiwan and establish formal links with China, pushing the neighboring island of Malaita – one of the New provinces that form the Solomon Islands – to consider a referendum for its independence.
Protests from the neighboring island of Malaita h2>
Malaita protesters would have taken part in the violence affecting the capital, protesting this decision. Solomon had chosen to recognize Taiwan in 1983 and many people in Malaita maintained close relationships with Taipei. The government of this island has regularly reproached Honiara from getting closer to Beijing.
This Pacific archipelago, independent of Great Britain since 1978, had sunk in interethnic violence in the early 2000s. New tensions resulted in the deployment between 2003 and 2013 from a peace force led by the Australia.
In particular, riots had broken in the Chinese district of Honiara during the 2006 legislative elections, following rumors according to the companies close to Beijing had rigged the vote.
The leader of the opposition, Matthew Wale, urged Mr. Sogavar to resign, ensuring that the disorders would not cease with a police curfew. “Unfortunately, the frustrations and anger of the people of the people against the Prime Minister spread in an uncontrollable manner in the streets, where opportunists benefit from the situation,” he said in a statement.