Solomon Islands (inc. Guadalcanal) peacemaking by RAMSI

[davidbfpo]

Ten years on since this multi-national, Pacific nations, intervention the Lowy Institute's weblog has two commentaries. For Americans the Solomon Islands may mean little, so this word will - Guadalcanal.

The shortest is by an Australian diplomat:http://www.lowyinterpreter.org/post/...ith-RAMSI.aspx

Within is a gem; a strange situation for both sides:

I got to know Prime Minister Allan Kemakeza pretty well as I accompanied Nick Warner to his daily briefing sessions with the PM. Although Kemakeza has been criticised, I thought he showed a lot of courage to not only facilitate the intervention but to work so closely with RAMSI to ensure the mission's success, especially given that he knew he would one day be arrested by RAMSI police and probably jailed for his role in a raid on a law firm in 2002, which he eventually was in 2008.

The longer piece, with many links, is a backgrounder and notes the mission is now police-led, with the military component leaving tis month:http://www.lowyinterpreter.org/post/...-years-on.aspx

The phrase 'unique and complex' comes from an ADF officer.

[davidbfpo]

Two recent commentaries via the Lowy Institute. First a paper that starts with:

In this Analysis Lowy Institute Melanesia Program Director, Jenny Hayward-Jones, argues that Australia’s massive expenditure of $2.6 billion on the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI) was a high price to pay for restoring stability in a small country. She argues that although there were many laudable achievements, the key lesson of RAMSI for Australia is the importance of knowing how much to spend and when to leave.

Link:http://www.lowyinstitute.org/publications/lessons-ramsi

Without a full reading I noted this mission had a large policing component, with the military role in the background after the initial intervention.

A counterpoint argues that:

We argue that these claims need to be tested against global experience and Solomon Islands' social and economic realities.

Link:http://www.lowyinterpreter.org/post/...-worth-it.aspx

[davidbfpo]

From Australia's Lowy Institute:

The Solomon Islands government is rearming its police force as the peacekeeping mission RAMSI prepares to depart after 13 years in the country. Australia is attempting to establish a permanent federal police presence.

Link:http://www.lowyinterpreter.org/post/2016/08/31/Pacific-Island-links-Emerging-Leaders-Dialogue-mining-in-Bougainville-RAMSIs-departure-and-more.aspx?

[davidbfpo]

The latest RUSI Journal (January 2019) has a lengthy article on RAMSI by John Fraenkel, a New Zealand academic; it is free to view today via:https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full...7.2019.1605018

The sub-title says:

The pioneering mission might not have been as successful as commonly believed.

There is a short 2017 article citing the author and others via:https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/au...nds-and-ramsi/