Self preservation or stupidity?

THERE are fears that the secretive swearing-in of the Solomon Islands' new Prime Minister, Snyder Rini, will further inflame political tensions and spark more violence.

There was an unambiguous intention in the recent election in the troubled Solomon Islands; to rid the islands of a government widely seen as corrupt. Voters managed to dislodge the former PM, Allan Kemakeza then parliament chose his former deputy, Snyder Rini to take over the top job.
According to local sources (radio clip note, before the interview there is a brief intro to the program.) including the speaker of parliament, a noisy protest turned violent when ‘peace keeping’ forces launched a tear gas attack on the crowd.
There is little doubt that poor judgment on the part of Australian police who are there as part of the Regional Mission To Solomon Island (RAMSI). But the anger which led to the riots in Honiara must be slated home to the political leadership.
Mobs that left Honiara's once vibrant Chinatown a smouldering ruin demanded Rini step down, claiming he used money from the Taiwanese Government and local Chinese businessmen to buy the support of MPs following the April 5 elections. Taiwan's Government has denied any involvement, but they have a history of buying support of Pacific nations to garner International prestige.
Edward Huniehui, a spokesman for the new Solomons Government, said evidence of corruption should be handed to police. He accused opposition parties of being behind the violence.
Opposition politicians repeated their accusations yesterday that large sums of cash changed hands before Rini's claimed the Prime Ministership.
Australia reacted in a suitably patronizing way. The Prime Minister, John Howard, said deployment of 110 troops and 80 extra police had a "sobering effect" on Honiara, but he warned: "We're not out of the woods and it doesn't mean the situation won't get bad again."
No Johnny, you are not. The people of the Solomon Islands wanted change and Australia is simply backing the status quo.
Why did the parliament turn to the tainted Rini when it was obviously a highly unpopular choice? Money it seems; money freely spread around in the parliament to buy support. Rini, more than anyone, should be in a position to understand the ramifications of his desperate bid for power. So why go there?
Desperation itself? Self-perseveration, given the potential for a damaging inquiry into the activities of the former government, of which he was deputy leader? Or was it simply an idiotic lust for power, and the ability to keep the nose planted firmly in the feed trough?
So Australia, getting a buzz out of playing ‘big boys’ of the Pacific will, according to Howard, “ be prepared for a decades-long leadership role in supporting potentially failing states such as Solomon Islands.
"Australia is by far and away the biggest, wealthiest and the strongest country in the region and we have to be prepared to shoulder the major part of the burden." How wonderfully patronizing, and how bloody destructive for an emerging nation trying to find it’s way out of the chaos inevitably left by colonist nations.