New Zealand, Australia fly in extra personnel to help quell Solomon Island riots
{{date|April 19, 2006}}

The [[w:New Zealand|New Zealand]] and [[w:Australian|Australian]] governments plan to send reinforcements to the [[w:Solomon Islands|Solomon Islands]] following a written request for help from the Solomon Islands' government.

Violence began yesterday in [[w:Honiara|Honiara]], the capital of the Solomon Islands, when protestors took to the streets opposing the election by parliament of [[w:Snyder Rini|Snyder Rini]] as the new Prime Minister. The streets of the capital witnessed arson and widespread looting.

[[w:Australian Prime Minister|Australian Prime Minister]] [[w:John Howard|John Howard]] said "We have a long term commitment to the security of the Solomon Islands and we are absolutely determined that the Solomon Islands will be a stable democratic country and that can only happen if we go the distance."

[[w:New Zealand Prime Minister|New Zealand Prime Minister]] [[w:Helen Clark|Helen Clark]] said the “situation in Honiara continues to be a cause for concern…Police are still attempting to regain full control and it is clear that the Solomon Islands government needs assistance from its neighbours to restore law and order."

A contingent of 110 Australian soldiers and 80 [[w:Australian federal police|Australian federal police]] officers left for the islands today. Thirty [[w:New Zealand Police|New Zealand Police]] and twenty five [[w:New Zealand Army|New Zealand Army]] personnel will leave on a [[w:Royal New Zealand Air Force|Royal New Zealand Air Force]] plane on Thursday morning.  

They will provide extra support to the [[w:RAMSI|RAMSI]] security force  currently based there. The current violence is the worst the capital has seen since Australia, New Zealand and other Pacific governments intervened in 2003 to end years of civil unrest.

== Sources ==
*{{source|url=http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/411416/703301
|title=Govt agrees to send force to Solomons
|author=
|pub=TVNZ
|date=April 19, 2006}}

*{{source|url=http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-04/19/content_4447872.htm
|title=Australia to send more troops to Solomon Islands
|author=
|pub=Xinhua
|date=April 19, 2006}}

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[[Category:New Zealand]]
[[category:Oceania]]
[[Category:Australia]]
[[Category:Solomon Islands]]
[[Category:Arson]]
[[Category:Melanesia]]

[[de:Unruhen nach Wahl eines neuen Premierministers auf den Salomon Inseln]]
[[zh:所罗门群岛华人商店受到暴乱袭击]]


{{Audio|Solomon Islands riots.ogg|2006-04-20}}
The New Zealand and Australian governments plan to send reinforcements to the Solomon Islands following a written request for help from the Solomon Islands' government.

Violence began yesterday in Honiara, the capital of the Solomon Islands, when protestors took to the streets opposing the election by parliament of Snyder Rini as the new Prime Minister. The streets of the capital witnessed arson and widespread looting.

Australian Prime Minister John Howard said "We have a long term commitment to the security of the Solomon Islands and we are absolutely determined that the Solomon Islands will be a stable democratic country and that can only happen if we go the distance."

New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark said the “situation in Honiara continues to be a cause for concern…Police are still attempting to regain full control and it is clear that the Solomon Islands government needs assistance from its neighbours to restore law and order."

A contingent of 110 Australian soldiers and 80 Australian federal police officers left for the islands today. Thirty New Zealand Police and twenty five New Zealand Army personnel will leave on a Royal New Zealand Air Force plane on Thursday morning.  

They will provide extra support to the RAMSI security force  currently based there. The current violence is the worst the capital has seen since Australia, New Zealand and other Pacific governments intervened in 2003 to end years of civil unrest.

*

category:Oceania

de:Unruhen nach Wahl eines neuen Premierministers auf den Salomon Inseln
zh:所罗门群岛华人商店受到暴乱袭击
New Zealand Australia Solomon Islands Arson Melanesia