Socialist Alliance on Solomon Is intervention

[Peter Boyle <peterb@xxxxxxxxxx>]

The Socialist Alliance National Conveners issued this media
release today.

Peter Boyle

URGENT MEDIA RELEASE FRIDAY 27 JUNE 2003

No troops to Solomon Islands!

The Socialist Alliance today condemned the Howard
Liberal-National government?s decision to send a warship and
thousands of troops and police to the Solomon Islands as ?an
imperialist act? driven by the desire to protect Australian
corporate interest in the South Pacific.

?This is an assertion of naked neo-colonial policy?, said
Socialist Alliance national co-convener Riki Lane today in
response to PM John Howard?s announced ?significant change
in regional policy?.

?Australian and New Zealand governments have long treated
the South Pacific as their backyard and have justifiably
earned a reputation as the region?s bullies. Rather than
sending warships and troops, Australia should be sending
reparations for decades of economic exploitation and
political bullying of the region?.

The crisis in the Solomon Islands is a crisis brought on by
?corporate globalisation agenda? pursued by the Australian
government, the World Trade Organisation and the
International Monetary Fund, said Mr Lane.

"It is no coincidence, however, that the biggest single
Australian business investment in the Solomon Islands -- the
Gold Ridge gold mine -- is located on Guadalcanal, and has
not been operational since June 2000, when it was raided for
its vehicles by one of the two main private militia groups
on the island.

"The real reasons for Canberra's decision to militarily
intervene in the Solomon Islands were spelt out in the
Australian Strategic Policy Institute's Our Failing
Neighbour report, launched on June 10 by foreign minister
Alexander Downer: 'The collapse of Solomon Islands is
depriving Australia of business and investment opportunities
that, though not huge, are potentially valuable...

'Australia's interests are also engaged in other ways. In a
subtle but important sense, state failure in the Southwest
Pacific reflects badly on Australia... Australia's standing
in the wider world -- including with the United States -- is
therefore at stake.' ''

"This government spends up on wars of aggression and spying
on innocent civilians while cutting back on urgently needed
social services. It is a government of social vandals. We
say money for jobs, education and health not more war."

Further comment:

National Co-Convener Riki Lane (03) 9387 7819  0400 877 819

Acting Co-convenor Peter Boyle (02) 9690 1230  0401 760 577

National Co-convener David Glanz (03) 9384 0225  0418 281
424

National Co-convener John van der Velden  (02) 6247 8813