Downer seals Solomon’s fate

Few countries make the transition from colonial government to independent nation without pain. Colonial powers having spent many years stripping their holdings of resources, with little regard for the cultures they are trampling, inevitably leave a power vacuum and a legacy of corruption.

The resulting chaos has little to do with what is patronizingly regarded as cultural backwardness. It has a good deal more to do with pressures on these, generally, small economies to engage fully in a rapacious global economy.

Often denied power and proper preparation prior to gaining independence it is little wonder these societies often revert to the lowest common denominator of leadership, self interest.

The basic issues are then invariably worsened by the meddling of powerful countries, generally again for self interest rather than the interests of the developing country.

This scenario is being amply demonstrated in the political dynamics of the Solomon Islands. Taiwan has been responsible for a good measure of the racial tensions which form part of the Solomon’s problems. Many smaller Pacific nations have been targeted by Taiwan who are constantly seeking areas of International support for their disputed existence as a separate China. Resources like timber are also much sort after to feed Taiwan’s volume driven manufacturing sector.

It is a game involving bribery and manipulation of many of the leaderships of small Pacific nations. The fallout is for ethnic Chinese residents, who to a great extent are valuable and industrious citizens.

Australian meddling has, until recently, been seen as relatively efficacious. With the recent election crisis Australia’s role is starting to be seen in a less positive light.

Australian Federal Police (AFP) were cited as partly responsible for triggering the riots after Australia’s preferred candidate won the Prime minister’s seat against the wishes of most of the electorate.

AFP officers are said to have over-reacted to a noisy demonstration, sparking all out rioting and looting. But resentment over Australia’s role has been long simmering.

According to allegations, Taiwan might have paid the bribes which secured Snyder Rini’s prime ministership, but it was official Australian support which sought to keep him in the position in the face of enormous local opposition.

Snyder Rini was Australia’s man, they new him and knew they could work him. Having failed that attempt, in a display close to sour grapes, Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer simply declared the Solomon’s future ‘doomed’.

To be exact, Downer said,

“Corruption is endemic in the Solomon Islands, it's an enormous problem. Regardless of who they appoint as prime minister, I don't think you can say that that's going to overcome the instability. The instability is also pretty entrenched, this whole story goes back decades and decades."

I wonder who helped create that situation Alex? As Australia’s Foreign Minister for the past decade, Downer must take a share of the blame. He has happily used that instability and corruption to advance his government’s interests over the interests of the Solomon’s.

Australia, and Downer himself, are increasingly embroiled in other displays of ‘acceptable’ corruption. Acceptable because the ‘ends’ favour the country’s international trade imperatives. It is business at any cost and too bad for anyone who gets in the way.

Downer’s impetuous little outburst over Solomon Island’s corruption is no doubt a response to increasing pressure on the usually urbanely detached minister. After years of walking blithely through various scandal allegations, Alex is finding things mounting up on him just now, particularly with his tangled dealings in the Oil for Food scandal.

Typically, if the Howard government sees no benefit flowing from involvement in the Solomon Islands they will happily walk away. Although it is a big ask for the Australia to turn their back on any potential benefits deriving from their involvement.

But if they did, excluding Australia , while it won’t help the Solomon’s crisis, would take at least one unnecessary complication out of the equation. Taiwan should also be warned off, and allow other less avaricious Pacific nations give the Solomon’s the help they need to attain a stable society.