25 years since NZDF deployed to the Solomon Islands
25 years since NZDF deployed to the Solomon Islands
In 1998, inter-tribal and inter-community violence in Solomon Islands had escalated and led to at least 40,000 people being displaced, and over 100 deaths.
The signing of the Townsville Peace Agreement between the Malaita Eagle Force and the Isatabu Freedom Movement in October 2000 promised to bring an end to the conflict. This agreement called for the deployment of a 47-person International Peace Monitoring Team (IPMT) to observe the peace and monitor surrendered weapons.
Australians led the mission, and New Zealand supported them by providing the deputy commander and a small team of Defence Force and civilian personnel.
In June 2002, the IPMT was withdrawn from the Solomon Islands, but in 2003, there was a resurgence of violence. Australian and New Zealand police and military forces returned to the Solomon Islands, this time for the Pacific Islands Forum.
NZDF RAMSI personnel with local children, Solomons Islands.
The mission was known as the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI). Within a year RAMSI had restored, law and order, and 3,700 weapons had been seized and destroyed.
In 2008, Albert (Solly) Solomon deployed to the Solomon Islands. He was the Training SNCO and oversaw all range shoots, crowd control training and counter ambush drills. He was one of a platoon made up of soldiers from 3 Auckland/Northland, RNZIR and 6 Hauraki, RNZIR.
Solly did one deployment to the Solomon Islands.
"It was a hot tropical environment. The locals were very friendly with the Kiwi contingent. Each day the local people were trying to survive by selling their wood and stone carvings, food, drink and other things to the Kiwi soldiers on patrol, but that's how we did our networking with the locals and children, we aimed to build trust."
Building a sustainable peace in the Solomon Islands was more challenging. Eight years after the initial RAMSI deployment, New Zealand still maintained an infantry platoon and police officers in the Solomon Islands. RAMSI's military task force departed in 2013, and its policing role ended in 2017.