23 March 2022
For the best part of the 23 years since leaving my previous work in the Solomon Islands I have written practically every day in support of the Solomon islands in the hope of bringing to notice every subject and happenings in the country having an influence on the needs and welfare of the people, with a special focus on the health of its citizens and in particular hospital services and requirements.
I have avoided politics and steered away from subjects that I personally thought were not entirely in keeping with the kind of moves that would bring about economic development and livelihood changes for the majority of the people.
I wrote a letter just about a week ago when I was puzzled over certain events, one in the stance of New Zealand declaring open its borders amidst rising Covid-19 cases, and the other matter which puzzled me was the display by the Australian Federal Police of a lethal M4 rifle said to be delivered to the RSIPF’s next year.
My puzzlement over the overt display of the M4 rifle has now turned into concern, and despite all my best intentions not go raise matters that prima facia are political matters for the government of the day, I feel I have to say one or two words over an issue that has developed today and also over the last few weeks
I will express my concern this way and begin with statements that featured in the Solomon Times Online this morning, and I quote.
In the first report, MP P Kenilorea raised concerns over separate police training.
The Chairman for Parliamentary Foreign Relations Committee and Opposition MP Hon Peter Kenilorea Jnr said the Government should be concerned that our police has been trained by two different security partners.
Speaking to the media recently, Hon Kenilorea said the Government should be concerned that a group of police officers are currently training in Australia whilst, another cluster is trained by the PRC police in Honiara.
End of quote
The second piece, arising from a detailed and well crafted media statement from the police, republished in the Solomon Times Online, said this, quote.
RSIPF display replica firearms
Police Commissioner Mangau said today –
People are questioning why the RSIPF has not been transparent to inform the public when these fake guns are coming into the country. RSIPF is the main security agency of this country and so some of the methodology we use or apply does not need the public to be aware of this as a matter of national security.
Such commitments by our partners would also help us in contributing strategically to fortify our regional and international commitments such as the UN Peacekeeping Missions.
I would very much welcome any other bilateral partners who wish to come forward to modernise the RSIPF to do so, as crime and security challenges are fast evolving over time threatening the lives of our people
It is only through such commitments and cooperation that we can be able to reap the benefits prevailing over all forms of crimes and security challenges we face today nationally and globally.
End of quote.
Comment.
The headline “RSIPF display replica firearms” fails to say replica lethal firearms.
I respectfully raise the question whether the RSIPF or the government can restrict free speech over national security compelling interests, because I clearly see the situation as concerning to so many in the Solomon Islands following the civil uprising from 1999 to 2003 and the rioting and mass destruction in 1996 and last November.
Again, in the light of the commentary in today’s police media statement, I simply ask what are the national security concerns so compelling to justify, in my eyes, the training of the police with replica lethal firearms and the training and display of the lethal M4 rifle, not forgetting the M4 rifle being likely to be issued to the RSIPF in 2023?
It is my belief, and again not wishing to be political, but genuinely concerned, that the authorities should be saying what are the national security interests that suddenly seem to have come into play. National security interests cannot be used as a blank cheque to sidestep deep citizens concerns, or constitutional challenges that figure in the overall picture of a change in RSPIF posture and operations
Accepting that security is a broad and rather vague, I would argue that the authorities should provide proof that national security interests really are in play and threatened to such an the extent the police service must now practice with replica lethal arms and be trained by the AFP on the use of the M4 lethal rifle, including live fire exercises, prior to its adoption by the RSIPF.
One might legitimately be asking why I should br raising the concerns that I have highlighted. My answer is simply this. When civil conflict first broke out in late 1998 in the Solomon Islands and militants stole weapons from an isolated police station and began using those lethal arms to uproot a civilian poplulation threatening no one. When the civil conflict grew to the point when the very same militants claimed they would not stop their brutality and armed attacks on civilians unless I left my post as police commissioner, I left my post genuinely wanting to see an an end to conflict and with the real hope that my departure would bring peace.
It was a very hard decision to have to make after a 40 year police career and with a genuine desire to help the government and all the people of the Solomon Islands - a decision that saw myself without any meaningful employment or satisfaction thereafter.
I subsequently saw the militants refuse to lay down their stolen firearms and stop their brutal destruction of property, the forced evacuation of people from land they had occupied peacefully for years. their rape and murder, their wanton ways to stop tourism and government development and the way their militancy led to the ultimate continuation of violence by other parties to the civil strife, the ultimate and utterly disgraceful way the nation's Prime was held at gun point and the collapse of the nation.
Lethal firearms and their use contributed more than substantially to the fall of the nation once described as the Happy Isles and a nation I was proud to serve and remain serving.
I never again wish to see lethal firearms fall into the wrong hands and worry, given past occurrences, that what I have seen develop recently is concerning for all the reasons I have expounded.
Yours sincerely
Frank Short
