Speaker 1:

[singing]. This is a story of how The Happy Isles were wrecked on the rocks of civil war, corruption, and bankruptcy. You won't see the faces of many militia men or politicians who are responsible. They don't like to answer questions. Ordinary people have little say and are often afraid to speak. Australia is bankrolling the peace process here with a naval ship off the coast at a quarter of a million dollars a day, observers ashore and then a aid budget of 20 million dollars, but the process 10 months old now, is bogged down by vested interests.

Ezekiel Alebua:

Dearest Modesta and children. Hope you're all well at this time. And I must thank you for your understanding and patience during this hard and trying times.

Speaker 1:

Ezekiel Alebua is an important man. Premier of Guadalcanal, the largest island in the Solomons. We caught up with him in Sydney recovering from a machine gun attack on him [inaudible] by two nephews who lead militia forces on the island.

Ezekiel Alebua:

Maybe this is the sign of the time. Biblically what the Bible says is that the people will be rising up against each other, brother against brother and father against son and all these things. Surely our faith in God has seen us through many hardships. Thank you for your prayers and love. I'm finding Sydney very cold at this time.

Speaker 1:

Outside the capital Honiara, stand the remains of the Alebua home. Not quite complete when it was destroyed in last year's ethnic violence between the islanders. His wife Modesta is most heartbroken for her eight children, and the two grandchildren she dotes on.

Modesta:

Me as a mother me find it very hard for me and for [foreign language]. And also very hard to find money to afford [foreign language].

Speaker 1:

Three Alebua houses were destroyed in the village of Kakambona in the fighting between Guadalcanal people and settlers from nearby Malaita Island. On the surface it's tranquil now, but the tensions remain. Modesta wants her husband to get out of politics while he's still alive.

Modesta:

So far him being [foreign language]. I mean government and him not getting time for come together with the [inaudible] family. [foreign language] for time him come back, me tell him for taking risk.

Speaker 1:

Tell him to get out of the politics and stay with the family.

Modesta:

At the same time he must get out from politics too.

Speaker 1:

What is your financial situation now, yours and your wife and your eight children?

Ezekiel Alebua:

Actually having eight children is not a easy task, to maintain them. And financially I can simply say that maybe I'm broke.

Speaker 1:

You are broke?

Ezekiel Alebua:

Yes, I am.

Speaker 1:

Few would deny the family has suffered, but as we'll find out Modesta's husband, the Premier of Guadalcanal, now faces mounting questions about his role in events that shook the nation.

So when he says he had nothing to do with the violence-

Nollen Leni:

Do you believe that?

Speaker 1:

... Do you believe that?

Nollen Leni:

I don't believe that. And I have good reasons for not believing that.

Speaker 1:

He says he's broke.

Matthew Wale:

I don't believe it. If he's broke, then he's put it elsewhere or it's been taken off him.

Speaker 1:

[singing]. Until three years ago, The Solomon seem pretty much to be as it boasted, The Happy Isles. It was the poorest Pacific nation, but its people seemed easy going making do with what they had. The unique pipe bands seem to reflect the adaptability of Ireland culture. Old thongs to tease the music out of traditional bamboo pipes, with their modern variant water and electrical conduit often fetched from building sites. A thousand islands make up the Solomons. Few than half a million inhabitants speaking eighty separate languages. A nation really only through colonial expedience as the nation's first prime minister and elder statesman admits.

Sir Peter K.:

Our nation is such is made up of so much diverse culture and that sort of thing. And the island feeling and the feelings of I come from this particular island and you come from that particular one has been throughout the history. And I think basically it is these differences that has caused us to arrive at the kind of ethnic situations that as erupted in recent years.

Speaker 1:

Tradition still rules the lives of tribal and family groups called one talks. Literally one talk, people united by their own particular language. Change, economic or social, comes slowly.

It always seems to a visitor that the women seem to be busy working and the men seem to be busy sitting around talking. Is that the truth?

Pastor Malcolm:

Yeah. That's really true. Women are busy cooking, cleaning up the homes, taking care of the children, even carrying firewood, carrying drinking water. All these. And men are ... Their job is just to clear up the bush and cultivate the land for plant. Very easy job. A woman always do very heavy duties in the home.

Speaker 1:

The recent tide of violence has started to change the traditional norms in ways that confuse and frighten the vast majority of islanders who live in villages.

Nollen Leni:

This young people are very much aggressive than usual. And they tend not to listen too much on this community leaders and elder people. So it makes it hard for this community leaders to control the young people.

Speaker 1:

So that has undermined the leaders in some ways.

Nollen Leni:

I think so, yes.

Speaker 1:

And Nollen Leni adds the power of the churches which wield enormous moral authority has been suddenly diminished.

Nollen Leni:

The role of churches has been undermined. It is easy for churches to control the people than politicians.

Speaker 1:

So you would say they failed in their role of leadership of-

Nollen Leni:

They have failed, miserably failed.

Speaker 1:

Into this climate of uncertainty come the peace monitors. Local people travelling through villages to persuade them the troubles are over and every weapon should be handed in. Unarmed foreign observers mainly from Australia and New Zealand provide logistics and backup. The process began with enthusiasm, but it's now eight months behind schedule and running out of steam. Elders often say they no longer have the authority to order young men to hand in guns. In this village, the young men are notable for their absence.

Pastor Malcolm:

It's very hard for them because if they do then [inaudible] will just shoot them or ask them money because they go against their plans and orders.

Speaker 1:

Do you think that will change back again or has this situation changed forever?

Pastor Malcolm:

Respect and all these will not be so respected like [inaudible] people.

Speaker 1:

Does this make you sad?

Pastor Malcolm:

Yeah.

Speaker 1:

Homemade guns using ancient ammunition left by the Americans after the Second World War are trickling in, but there are hundreds of high powered weapons still hidden in villages and jungle. As a result, the process has reached a critical stage as the leader of the Indigenous Peace Monitoring Council, Sir Peter Kenilorea admits.

Sir Peter K.:

We feel that the original and the former enthusiasm that was once there by certain members of the parties to the agreement are no longer there.

Speaker 1:

Have you reached a critical stage, do you think?

Sir Peter K.:

Yeah. I think we do have that kind of situation now because a lot of demands or obligations under the agreements have not been achieved. And by that fact alone, it's a critical situation.

Nigel:

Good morning. My name is Nigel. I come from Australia and I'm here as a team leader for the IPM team. The IPM team members are sitting around you. And we come from Australia and New Zealand and ran the Pacific islands. Our role is to-

Speaker 1:

The peace accord is struggling because the Solomon's government is weak, factionalized, self-serving and corrupt. Without signs of real determination to reform at the centre, militants will not give up their high powered guns, nor will villagers feel safe to surrender their only means of defence. And there are worrying reports of a growing trade in high powered arms from Bougainville.

So how much money do you spend on those guns?

Speaker 9:

14,000. 7,000 each, Solomon dollars.

Speaker 1:

And these are for high powered weapons?

Speaker 9:

Yeah.

Speaker 1:

7,000 dollars?

Speaker 9:

Yeah.

Speaker 1:

And you paid your money for it?

Speaker 9:

Yeah.

Speaker 1:

Did you think that the government would give you back that money?

Speaker 9:

That is just a big question.

Speaker 1:

But you gave 7000-

Speaker 9:

7000.

Speaker 1:

... dollars for each of those guns.

Speaker 9:

14,000 for two.

Speaker 1:

And who did you give that money to?

Speaker 9:

In Bougainville.

Speaker 1:

This was once the multi-million dollar Australian gold mine, Gold Ridge. It had hardly begun operations before the violence closed it down. Today it's home to a few squatters scrabbling for gold in the slag. Economically the islands have shot themselves in the foot. If it wasn't for international aid, 20 million dollars a year from Australia alone, the nation would be broke. Virtually every major industry has closed down. Plant and equipment wrecked. Rebuilding in the current climate is impossible.

Rick Hou:

When law and order is not under control then no investor will come here. No investor, even those who are already in the country will not want to do anything. Unless everybody is confident that the police is on top of law and order.

Speaker 1:

Which there's little doubt that it is not at the moment.

Rick Hou:

Any investor here ... and I'm talking about both foreign and local investors. They will have the same answer to it, and that is they don't have any confidence.

Speaker 1:

As the nation's central banker, Rick Hou is scathing of the politicians and bureaucrats he's witnessed feeding at the trough of the nation's dwindling finances. This year, they'd been exposed granting themselves and their friends millions of dollars in customs and tax exemptions.

Rick Hou:

Those who are receiving these remissions are those that are very close to the government and other individuals. And even former combatants, militants and friends of those who perhaps in government. It's a corrupt and an evil thing to do in government.

Speaker 1:

While the nation's leaders line their pockets, Honiara's hospital is so poor, relatives have to feed the patients. It can't pay for a full staff of doctors and there aren't enough drugs to go around.

Speaker 11:

I think we have to accept that sometimes you can't win. There's not enough resources to adequately manage this hospital. And the most place, the human resources we don't have enough staffing to look after most of the patient.

Speaker 1:

Yet the government has showered its cronies with exemptions and fraudulent compensation payments worth about 30 million Australian dollars, amounting to more than the nation's annual health budget, and more than Australia gives in annual aid.

Dr. Lester Ross:

You have money going to different places. It does sort of affect us. And we just hope that the government understands the seriousness of the problem. We keep reminding the government through the normal channels.

Speaker 1:

Money that should be ... is desperately needed, I suppose-

Dr. Lester Ross:

Money. Yeah-

Speaker 1:

... In the health system.

Dr. Lester Ross:

... That's right. We desperately need that amount of money. Yeah.

Rick Hou:

On one hand we are giving away millions of dollars, and then on the other hand we go to the donors and asking for money. I think this is nonsense.

Speaker 1:

And it is squandering of the resources, isn't it? It is squandering of aid money.

Rick Hou:

I mean, it's just plain nonsense. I mean, anyone in their right mind shouldn't be doing that.

Speaker 1:

The men who run the country from the increasingly decrepit streets of Honiara, don't want to explain themselves and dodge requests for interviews. They've also been trying to delay elections due at the end of the year for which Australia has already donated the funds. Under strict orders from the prime minister not to discuss policy, the parliament's only woman, a junior minister was left to defend the indefensible.

Hilda Kari:

That bill actually is a standby bill. It's a bill to ensure that all the relevant aspects of the electoral law are met, are put in place properly. Everybody who wants to vote are registered properly, that we are not just racing through because we want an election done. As you know we have just come through rough waters. The environment is still not really to a position that we would like it to be for an election.

Rick Hou:

I think it's very clear and very obvious to all and some islanders that there is no two way about it. We have to have a general election this year. This will only be the first step, and it's a very, very important step.

Speaker 1:

And the lights go out. Rick Hou hardly notices. It's such a regular part of Honiara life today. Australia spends about 90 million dollars a year keeping the flag waving off shore, but the frigate has little enough to do since military intervention has been ruled out. For sure Australia is pressing hard for the elections to be held. But many believe Canberra has squandered its influence. By helping to legitimise the government installed by a coup last year, they believe Australia's commitment to democracy and the restoration of law and order has been undermined.

Matthew Wale:

Australia would be quite happy with a minimum form of democracy in the Solomons, so long as it does not threaten why the Melanesian security? Which would be a security problem to Australia. And I think there has been part of that influence on how Australia has conducted its foreign policy here.

Speaker 1:

It was on Guadalcanal that the Americans, and their allies changed the tide of the Second World War against the Japanese in the Pacific. And at the same time, unwittingly lit the slow fuse that ignited ethnic tension more than a half century later. Unmentioned at the war memorial are the thousands of Malaitans brought to Guadalcanal to work for the war effort. They proved willing workers. And when the war ended they stayed and prospered, and local resentment against them grew.

Sir Peter K.:

The other people from various parts of Solomon Islands, including Malaita come to Guadalcanal for employment purposes. And so because they're here for employment, they take employment and work seriously. And as such the rate of success amongst the immigrants, if we can call them, people who come from different islands, is understandably higher than people who are here who may be taking things for granted.

Speaker 14:

I think enough is enough. [foreign language].

Speaker 1:

So who fanned the flames of resentment? A rising grassroots movement known as The Civil Societies, believes that as in South Africa, that there can be no reconciliation until the truth comes out.

Matthew Wale:

I'm an optimist. I am a Solomon Islander. I want to build this nation, and I feel time will catch up. And people will demand the truth be known.

Sir Peter K.:

People do not want to come out to say that I believe this person is involved, I believe this person might be responsible.

Speaker 1:

So in the end the bank is swept under the carpet.

Sir Peter K.:

Maybe very difficult to get the truth out. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Speaker 1:

But some are prepared to break the Island's notorious code of silence alleging that amongst the leaders who helped arm the militant civil war was the man we met in Sydney, Guadalcanal Premier, Ezekiel Alebua.

Nollen Leni:

We don't know what he was up to, but he spend most of his time roaming around these roads.

Speaker 1:

Looking for what?

Nollen Leni:

I think he was chasing up the boys to look for all these old time war bombs and prepare for the war.

Speaker 1:

So all this time you believe he was actually helping to arm these Guadalcanal boys.

Nollen Leni:

Exactly.

Speaker 1:

Do you have evidence of this? Do other people know that this is absolutely true?

Nollen Leni:

Well, there are people who witness that he was driving up this way, trying to find these old time bombs and find what we can do.

Speaker 1:

This is the ammunition dumps left behind by the Americans in World War-

Nollen Leni:

Oh, yes.

Speaker 1:

... Two? Nollen Leni says there has to be a full investigation into Mr. Alebua's actions and into accusations that he like other politicians has dipped into a swill of questionable compensation payments.

Nollen Leni:

I think it would be best for him to come out and tell the truth. And if he has done injustice or anybody else for that matter, they should be put to justice and see that things are done that satisfies everybody.

Ezekiel Alebua:

I simply say that since it happened, and the people of Guadalcanal started, I happened to be ... unfortunate that I was ... Well, I'm the premier, and it happened during my time I accept responsibility.

Speaker 1:

You accept responsibility. Do you think you did anything, which exacerbated the situation?

Ezekiel Alebua:

I have not. That I will bluntly deny. I have not. And I've been trying to recall all my actions and what I've said, I can't remember having contributed to that.

Speaker 1:

Did you encourage people to arm themselves?

Ezekiel Alebua:

I never at any stage encouraged people to arm themselves.

Matthew Wale:

I think there are questions of: one, his involvement right from the beginning going as far as him planning a lot of the violent evictions of Malaitans, two, the activities that were conducted. It was obvious that there was a level of complicity on the part of the Guadalcanal provincial government and the militants, and three, what benefits did he derive out of it? It is becoming obvious that he did derive benefits.

Speaker 1:

Whoever was responsible, the nation's future has been jeopardised, especially amongst those who should have most to hope for, the young.

Speaker 15:

[foreign language].

Speaker 16:

[foreign language].

Speaker 1:

There are not enough schools. There are no jobs. Many former militants are unwilling or unable to return to their villages. The crime rate in Honiara is soaring. The sense of dislocation is absolute and so is the sense of loss.

Speaker 16:

[foreign language].

Speaker 1:

Throughout the islands, the police force has been totally discredited by ethnic divisions and by the fact that many militants had been welcomed into it's ranks.

Paul Kini:

There's a big problem with the police. The first problem I saw is ... since the recruitment taking enough people. I mean, they just-

Speaker 1:

These are former militants.

Paul Kini:

Yeah. They just recruit unnecessary. And there are officers in there, they don't really understand what the law is.

Speaker 1:

So do you think that since the coup people have started to lose respect for the police?

Paul Kini:

Yeah. Since they themselves didn't stick to their oath. Yeah. They are making oath to serve the nation, but since they break the oath, the democracy of this country is not ... I mean, what should I say? Working on [inaudible]. [singing].

Speaker 1:

A very few youth leaders are trying to rebuild from the ashes. These are The Youth Ambassadors for Peace. Many of them former militants now jobless, homeless, and passing their days in a haze of marijuana. Nevertheless, they've convinced [inaudible] to donate gardening equipment so they can start cleaning up the decrepit capital.

Paul Kini:

[foreign language].

Speaker 1:

In a country where the politicians are doing little enough to progress the cause of peace, some may genuinely start trying to turn their swords into ploughshares. But it is beyond Honiara, in villages isolated by the nation's disintegrating infrastructure that the most solid foundation for peace maybe found. [singing]. The indigenous and international peace monitors are witnessing a growing sense of unity amongst one section of islanders who shown more determination than any other group. This is a women's peace meeting. Some have walked for hours through jungle to get here. When the ethnic violence broke out, women acted where tribal chiefs and church leaders failed.

Hilda Kii:

[foreign language]. No more fighting between Malaitans and Guadalcanal. [foreign language]. No more road block. No more bunker. No more holding of gun openly. Although inside [foreign language] inside.

Speaker 1:

During the troubles, women proved to be a formidable force for peace.

Hilda Kii:

In fact, they have already done a lot to get us to where we are today. They have gone through bunkers and roadblocks and boy standing there with guns. And then they cry with them and talk with them. And I think by doing that, it melt the heart of the boys and some positive result.

Speaker 1:

Hilda Kii and others like her want the Island women to flex their newfound power by standing for parliament. They hope that where men have failed women can succeed.

Hilda Kii:

We are more powerful than the men. Because we are the mothers of the boys or the men of the children. And we can use our motherliness to change the heart of this boys or this men. So I think they have more power to change the situation.

Pastor Malcolm:

There are times that they do not have the right to speak in the council of chiefs in all this. They cannot come to express their rights in all this. But the problem nowadays, when people are looking at it and we begin to see the importance that they have, important roles. And from now we begin to allow them. [singing].

Ezekiel Alebua:

Upon such tentative foundations, hopes have to be built in the Solomons today. Much though most people would like things to go back to the way they were, it'll never be that way again.

Nollen Leni:

It used to be The Happy Isles, but now it's no longer The Happy Isles. I don't know when we will get back to Happy Isles again. Maybe it will or will not.

Ezekiel Alebua:

The longed for elections may mark a new beginning, but recovery if it comes will come in a island time. That is very slow indeed.