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Solomon Islands

Country in the southwest Pacific Ocean, east of New Guinea, comprising many hundreds of islands, the largest of which is Guadalcanal.

Government

The constitution dates from 1978 and provides for a constitutional monarchy within the Commonwealth, with a resident governor general representing the UK monarch as head of state.

There is a single-chamber legislature, the National Parliament, with 47 members elected by universal suffrage for a four-year term. The governor general appoints a prime minister, who is elected by parliament, and a cabinet, drawn from and collectively responsible to parliament.

History

The islands were inhabited by Melanesians, and were sighted by a 1568 expedition from Peru led by the Spanish navigator Alvaro de Mendaña. They became a British protectorate in the 1890s.

Independence

The Solomon Islands acquired internal self-government in 1976, with Peter Kenilorea, leader of the Solomon Islands United Party (SIUPA), as chief minister. He became prime minister when the islands achieved full independence within the Commonwealth in 1978; he was replaced by Solomon Mamaloni of the People's Progressive Party in 1981. In the 1984 general election SIUPA won 13 seats and the opposition, now the People's Alliance Party (PAP), 12. Kenilorea returned to head a coalition government. After narrowly surviving a series of no-confidence motions, he resigned in December 1986, following allegations that he had accepted US $47,000 of French aid to repair cyclone damage to his home village in Malaita province. Kenilorea remained in the cabinet of his successor, Ezekiel Alebua, a fellow SIUPA member, and became deputy prime minister in February 1988. In the 1989 general election support for the SIUPA halved and the PAP, led by Mamaloni, re-emerged as the dominant party. Mamaloni formed a coalition government which included members of the opposition.

Foreign relations

The Solomon Islands, under the SIUPA administrations, pursued a moderate pro-Western course. However, during the 1981-84 Mamaloni administration, relations with the USA were strained by the government's refusal to allow nuclear-powered warships within the islands' territorial waters. In pursuit of a new, broader ‘Pacific strategy’, the Solomon Islands joined Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu in March 1988 to form the Spearhead Group, aiming to preserve Melanesian cultural traditions and to secure independence for the French dependency of New Caledonia.

The government promised to reform the constitution to establish a republic and also to reduce the influence of ‘foreign aid personnel’. In October 1990 Mamaloni resigned as leader of the ruling PAP after receiving a vote of no confidence. He continued as head of government and as a result both the PAP and the opposition parties splintered into personality-based factions. Mamaloni formed the Group for National Unity and Reconciliation to fight the May 1993 election but, although it won most seats, it did not achieve a clear majority. Mamaloni lost parliamentary support and Francis Billy Hilly, an independent politician, was elected prime minister. He resigned in October 1994 and Mamaloni was returned to power. In July 1998 two members from the opposition Group for National Security and Advancement were brought into the cabinet. In September 1998 Bartholomew Ulufa'alu's Alliance for Change government narrowly survived a no-confidence vote tabled by the National Unity Party (NUP) opposition. In October Solomon Mamaloni, a former prime minister, became leader of the NUP. In November the prime minister announced reductions in public service employment as a result of the Asian financial crisis, which had greatly damaged the economy.

Ethnic conflict

Following Commonwealth-sponsored talks, an agreement was reached in August 1999 to achieve a settlement for ethnic conflict in Guadalcanal province. The unrest had resulted in 32,000 people being driven from their homes. A peace-monitoring group of 20 police officers from Fiji, funded by Australia and New Zealand, were to arrive in October 1999 to oversee the disarmament of the Isatambu Freedom Fighters (IFF). It had been the IFF rebels who had been attempting to drive all immigrants from neighbouring Malaita province out of Guadalcanal, including the deportation of 12,000 Malaitans from the capital, Honiara. The Commonwealth mediator, and former prime minister of Fiji, Sitiveni Rabuka, threatened that the Commonwealth could withdraw from the country if it did not receive full cooperation from all parties.

Coup 2000

A rebel militia, the Mailaita Eagle Force, staged a coup in June 2000, putting Prime Minister Bartholomew Ulufa'alu under house arrest and securing the capital, Honiara. The rival Isatabu Freedom Movement took on the Mailaita Eagle Force and fighting ensued until a 14-day truce was declared. Ulufa'alu was released from house arrest to lose a no-confidence vote in parliament which was forced by the armed militias. The Malaita Eagle Force, led by Andrew Nori, continued to hold Honiara. On 30 June, the former opposition leader, Mannesseh Sogavare, was elected to become the new prime minister. He pledged to form a government of national unity which would contain a special ministry to deal with the ethnic violence that has troubled the country.

Ethnic conflict continued on the island of Guadalcanal, but in October a peace accord between rival Solomon Islands militia groups was signed in Townsville, Australia. Under the deal, the militia leaders invited officials from Australia and New Zealand to go to the Solomon Islands to monitor the peace.

In February 2001, the Central Bank warned that, after two years of conflict, the country was on the edge of economic collapse. Exports had fallen by 40% since July 2000. In December, Allan Kemakeza became prime minister after PAP won 20 seats in parliamentary elections against three for incumbent prime minister Manasseh Sogavare's PPP.

In May 2006, Manasseh Sogavare was appointed prime minister, the former incumbent Snyder Ridi having resigned after only a few days due to the rioting that followed his appointment.

Natural heritage East Rennell was made a World Heritage Site in November 1998. It covers nearly 50% of Rennell Island, the largest raised coral atoll in the world, and contains the 15,500 ha Lake Tegano.

Alebua, Ezekiel Bougainville, Battle of

Guadalcanal Island Hilly, Francis Billy

Honiara Kenilorea, Peter (Kauona Keninarais'Ona)

Malaita Mamaloni, Solomon Sunaone

New Georgia Island Ulufa'alu, Bartholomew