The major news story in the Solomon Island’s media today is the concerns expressed by several people, including the Member of Parliament for East Are Are, the Hon. Peter Kenilorea, over an early morning operation by the RSIPF’s Police Response Team at Bethal village in East Fataleka around 4 to 5 am yesterday morning.
The Solomon Star newspaper gave this account of the police operation, and I quote.
The Member of Parliament for East Are Are, Peter Kenilorea has raised concerns over the police raid that reportedly traumatized old people and children at Bethel village, East Fataleka yesterday morning.
According to the Malaita Province Development Forum, the Police Response Team (PRT) arrived between 4 to 5am in their fast craft and with four other speed boats.
They made the early morning raid with the intention to capture Knoxly Atu, allegedly behind the riot in Honiara last November.
It was claimed that the members of the PRT entered the village and used tear gas to fire at the villagers and their houses.
The report said that a number of very old people and children nearly lost their lives due to the effect of the tear gas and “explosives” used during the raid.
The villagers of Bethel fought off the PRT team and chased them out from their village.
The villagers met later in the morning and said that they would be seeking answers from the Police and the Government on the unprovoked raid.
MP Kenilorea said while a “police operation is a police operation” how this particular raid was conducted was “concerning”.
“I don’t know that in our history tear gas was used against a village.
“There are other options than the use of tear gas,” he said.
Mr.Kenilorea said it seems the country is entering another phase in terms of policing.
“I am sure there have been operational standards.
“It is a sad day that tear gas was used in a village,” he added.
Opposition Leader, Matthew Wale said they (the Opposition) don’t condone or nor support violence or criminality and the law must take its course.
“So, if people who are alleged to commit offence, we have a judicial system that works fairly well.
“They (offenders) have rights so charge them and obviously the courts will adjudicate their cases.
In a piece on Linkedin Dr Anouk Ride, a locally based Researcher had this to say about the PRT tactics, quote.
A CALL TO ASK QUESTIONS FOR ALL ISLANDERS AND AUSTRALIANS... This morning I am angry and shocked to hear the news that last night, while everyone was sleeping, a village in Malaita was subject to tear gas, and stun grenades, and a troop of Police Response Team police in an ambush attack. THIS FORCE WAS... DISPROPORTIONATE: They were looking for a man who criticised the government and called for a protest, not a murderer or armed combatant. The village is mostly elderly people, women and children, they were asleep, any one of them could have been seriously affected by the attack, and fortunately no one was killed.
A SERIOUS TACTICAL ERROR: A mistake on behalf of the police, who are heavily funded and armed by Australia and AFP. Intelligence leading to the raid was wrong, and the violent action goes against the RSIPF Strategy which is to work with Crime Prevention Committees and local leaders to secure arrests (e.g. as was done with militant Harold Keke)
CREATES A CONFLICT SPIRAL: This action will create conflict within the community (between those who gave information to assist the attack vs others), between communities and police (as trust is reduced, cooperation will lesson) and amplify tensions between local groups and government against the national government, potentially fuelling violence in response to violence.
PLEASE QUESTION THIS USE OF FORCE if you have any power or privilege in aid, government, policing or security systems #australia #solomonislands #afp #peace #conflict #youradf #australiangovernment #rsipf
.#australia #solomonislands #afp #peace #conflict #youradf #australiangovernment #rsipf
End of quote.
In responding to the statements by MP Peter Kenilorea, Mr. Mathew Wale and Ms Ride, while I have no power or privilege, as Ms Ride put it, I can say that during my time as the police commissioner in the Solomon Islands I issued clear standing orders on police conduct, the use of minimum force in all operations and on police discipline, orders which I will reproduce below.
MP Kenilorea reportedly has said, “It seems the police are entering into another phase in terms of policing.”
To a degree I share Mr. Kenilorea’s concerns and said about as much earlier this week in a letter I wrote in response to what Australia’s former High Commissioner to the Solomon Islands, James Batley had said when he reportedly said he, and Canberra, were watching closely the develops in the Solomons following the recent secondment of 9 PRC police to the RSIPF to undertake public order management training (riot control).
My concerns were not expressed so much in what the Chinese policemen are currently engaged in doing by training with non-lethal riot equipment supplied by the PRC, but rather what Australia and the Australian Federal Police (AFP) have been doing with demonstrating the use of the lethal M4 5.56 mm rifle (in use by the US Army). A rifle claimed will be procured and delivered to the RSIPF (PRT) next year.
In respect of the concerns over the PRT’s early morning raid and tactics alleged to have been used at Bethal village, I wait to see the reaction of the RSIPF commissioner and particularly on the allegations raised in the media over the tear gas fired on sleeping villagers, the use of “stun grenades” having been deployed, and the real set back to community policing, community relations, trust in the police service and discipline of its members.
In response to MP Kenilolera’s comments on past operational standards, here are the original standing orders I issued to the local police service on assuming office as police commissioner in 1997 and which I strictly enforced until my leaving in mid-1999.
Quote.
Orders I previously issued, as Standing Orders, for the police service were, and I quote.
“The members of the Solomon Islands Police should be able to carry out most of their duties without having to resort to force. Conflict resolution skills must be learned for resolving all types of conflicts.
“We must be committed to the use of minimum force when dealing with incidents. The members of the force must, therefore, have access to training and equipment, which obviates the need for force to resolve problems. Any laws and police regulations, which act contrary to the use of minimum force, should be amended to bring them in line with International standards. Although the members of the police service will still need to be issued with adequate equipment to protect themselves in dangerous situations, they must only be issued with weapons which are appropriate to the situation they are likely to encounter.”
Subsequently, and at the onset of the national ordeal, now commonly referred to the period of ‘ethnic conflict,’ I wrote this additional order.
“It should be constantly borne in mind that, however well justified a police officer may consider himself in firing, the act, whether it results in loss of life, or otherwise, may become the subject of investigation. He must therefore be prepared to prove that he acted with humanity, caution and prudence, and that he was compelled by necessity alone to have recourse to firearms. At the same time he must not be deterred from doing what, in the circumstances in which he is placed, appears to be absolutely necessary, as a last resort, in the interests of law and order.”
Yours sincerely
Frank Short
