During the early years of my police career, I served in two countries on the verge of independence and where there was often politically inspired violence leading to numerous public order disturbances that led to rioting, arson, looting, and deaths.
In both countries, the outbreaks of the public disorder leading to the criminality I have touched upon were often fueled by protestors having consumed a home-brewed beer known as Chibuku, made from malted sorghum and maize and containing millet.
Spent on the heavy drinking of Chibuku protestors was violent and often given to arson after rioting in which commercial properties, government buildings, and private homes were very often destroyed.
In the Solomon islands in recent years, public order breakdown led to similar occurrences, notably last November and in 2006.
I have to wonder whether the actions of some protestors last year and in 2006 were influenced by having consumed the local equivalent of Chibuku, known commonly in the Solomon Islands as Kwasi.
For any readers who might not be familiar with Kwaso, it is a cheap homemade brew that is obtained at various black-market locations.
Kwasi, despite its illegal making and sale, is cheap and has a very high alcohol content, and is dangerous to one’s health, especially to the liver.
In recent days I have suggested that when consideration is given to the local police in dealing with outbreaks of public disturbances some early attention should be given to learning about crowd behavior and the physiology of crowd reactions.
I suggest, also, that the police are aware of the influence of two on the motivation and responses of protestors, and new efforts are made to crack down on the making and sale of Kwaso as part of removing the brew as an added measure to safeguard public security.
I might mention, too, the need for further efforts by the police to prevent the cultivation, sale, and use of marijuana, especially by some young people in the Solomon Islands today.
Yours sincerely
Frank Short
