Honiara, Dec 10 (Bureau) The Solomon Islands government on Friday lifted the curfew imposed in the capital of Honiara after mass riots in late November demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare waned. “The Preservation of Public Security (No.2) Regulations 2021 (LN 334 of 2021) comes into force today and effectively declares a curfew revoked in Honiara commencing today 10 December 2021 by the Governor-General,” the government said in a statement.
The long-standing animosity of the most populous and rebel province of Malaita toward the central government on the Guadalcanal island escalated in 2019 when the Sogavare government switched diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing. Tensions rose further as the country plunged into the pandemic crisis and Malaita people accused the government of neglect and failure to curb unemployment. Last month, thousands of people, many of whom travelled from Malaita, tried to storm Sogavare’s residence in Honiara and demanded that he must step down. Over 100 people were arrested and three died during the unrest. The situation stabilized after the arrival of troops from Australia, New Zealand, and Papua New Guinea. Sogavare continues in his position as the head of the executive government after surviving a no-confidence motion in the parliament.