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Commonwealth Secretariat press release

Commonwealth Brokers Peace Agreement in Solomon Islands

28 June 1999

A peace agreement, brokered by the Commonwealth to bring to an end the recent tensions on the island of Guadalcanal in Solomon Islands, has been signed. The Honiara Peace Accord was brokered by Major-General Sitiveni Rabuka, former Prime Minister of the Fiji Islands, who was appointed by Commonwealth Secretary-General Chief Emeka Anyaoku as his Special Envoy following public unrest between the Guadalcanal and Malaita islanders in Honiara.

The Accord was signed on 28 June 1999 by the Prime Minister of Solomon Islands, Mr Bartholomew Ulufa'alu, the Premier of Guadalcanal Province, Mr Ezekiel Alebua, the Premier of Malaita Province, Mr David Oeta, and General Rabuka. Among the witnesses was Mr Solomon Mamaloni, former Prime Minister and currently Leader of the Opposition.

The 10-point Accord follows a 13 June 1999 Memorandum of Understanding between the Solomon Islands Government and the Guadalcanal Provincial Government agreeing to talks on the dispute over the social dislocation on Guadalcanal arising from the siting of the capital, Honiara, on that island. It acknowledges that insufficient communication has prevented widespread knowledge of a payment of 2.1 million Solomon Islands dollars offered under this memorandum of understanding into a Reconciliation Trust Account to compensate for the dislocation.

The main points of agreement under the Accord include:

A review of the land title legislation and tenure systems of all provinces to compensate original landowners when Central Government or industrial projects are located in their territory;
An investigation into claims that land has been illegally acquired in Guadalcanal with a view to returning the land or paying compensation;
Discouragement of squatters, especially in Guadalcanal;
An assurance of freedom of movement of citizens and their right to own property among the islands;
The Government agreeing to a policy of even development in all the provinces of Solomon Islands;
A review by an already established committee of the Provincial Government System following demands for its replacement by a State Government System;
An agreement that all organisations formed to further the demands of the people of Gualdalcanal by force be dissolved and their weapons surrendered; that the Government agrees to meet with militants in the "shortest possible time"; and that normal operations be allowed to resume at industrial and mining establishments;
An agreement that the Government assist and compensate those forced to relocate because of unrest in their province;
A policy for equal and fair representation of all provinces in the national civil service and the police force;
Acknowledgment that the present reconciliation process should be continued and that an implementation mechanism should be established involving the Commonwealth Special Envoy who will report to the Commonwealth Secretary-General to ensure that commitments made by domestic and international bodies are honoured.
The Commonwealth Secretary-General, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, has welcomed the Honiara Peace Accord. In a statement in London today, he said:

I would like to warmly compliment the Government and the political leaders in Solomon Islands who made this peace agreement possible. My special congratulations go to General Rabuka, who has worked tirelessly for more than a week now to bring an end to the tension and violence which has afflicted Guadalcanal recently. I hope that the agreement will be implemented in good faith and that it will enhance the peace and stability of the Solomon Islands. I am confident that Commonwealth governments, particularly those in the region, will facilitate its implementation. As envisaged in the agreement, the Commonwealth will, through my Special Envoy, endeavour to monitor the implementation of the Honiara Peace Accord.



Issued by the Information and Public Affairs Division, Commonwealth Secretariat,
Marlborough House,
Pall Mall,
London SW1Y 5HX,
United Kingdom.
Tel: 0207-839 3411;
Fax: 0207-839 9081;
Telex: 27678


99/41 28 June, 1999

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ISSUED BY THE COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS DIVISION
Commonwealth Secretariat Marlborough House Pall Mall London SW1Y 5HX United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0)20 7747 6385/6 Fax: +44 (0)20 7839 9081
Email: info@commonwealth.int