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 The Solomon Islands
Primary Researcher:
John Handmer
The Solomon Islands is a scattered archipelago of approximately 500,000 people living in small and highly-dispersed settlements. This ethnic diversity of the Solomon Islands provided one of the ingredients for the outbreak and rapid escalation of civil conflict when, in the late 1990s, Guadalcanal militants drove Malaitans out of their homes and took control of the countryside around Honiara. By 2003, the country had many characteristics that some have attributed to 'failed state' status, with rife extortion and open corruption. Government management of the economy and delivery of basic services had collapsed. The Solomon Islands government sought, on several occasions, the assistance of Australia and regional partners in the Pacific, and in mid-2003 the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI) was deployed. Much of the attention in Australia has been directed at the effects of the conflict on the basic functions of government, and on physical and economic stability in and around Honiara. However, the effect of the tensions was felt across the nation, and the effects of the tensions on the subsistence economies most Solomon Islanders depend on has been largely overlooked.
The Sources of Insecurity project seeks to examine the ways in which rural people's livelihoods were affected by the tensions, and how they are recovering in the post-conflict context. This initial research has enabled the identification of a number of themes and issues which will be pursued through further field work. Special attention has been paid to research methodology issues and substantive themes and issues include:
the effect of trauma on people's livelihoods, and the link between reconciliation and rural economies;
the significant role of youth involvement in the tensions, particularly in militant groups;
the role of the church and Christianity in reconciliation and reconstruction;
the resurgence of traditional spiritualities during the conflict;
the role of music and sport, particularly for youth, in reconciliation and reconstruction.
In spite of their diversity, many Pacific nations face similar development challenges at a time when Australia is sharpening its focus on the Pacific. The ultimate goal of this research is therefore to provide information of value to the formulation of guidelines and policies regarding the provision of aid assistance in the South Pacific.
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| Sources of Insecurity ©Copyright
2004 |
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