A case study: The Solomon Islands
By AMANDA EDWARDS
In 1998 ethnic tension erupted between the local inhabitants of Guadalcanal Island and the more recent arrivals from the neighbouring island of Malaita.
The fighting resulted in many deaths and caused over 20,000 Malaitans to flee from Guadalcanal.
Despite a peace accord in October 2000, violent confrontations have continued between these opposing factions.
The situation remains grim. Crime and corruption have plagued the country, economic activity is at a standstill, and tribal tensions and land disputes have often exploded into armed conflict.
Following requests from the local government, Australian and New Zealand police have been deployed to help with law and order.
They will need to be mindful of local culture and customs, and focus on the longer-term solutions, such as education for peace, return of unfairly taken lands and restrictions to migration.
After years of conflict and hardship a better future is on the horizon, but everybody needs to work together to achieve a total peace.
This article was written as part of Global Focus a collaborative project of Tearaway Magazine and the Global Education Centre. It was first published in Tearaway magazine and is reprinted here with their permission
