The Tendency
The latest Malaita Maasina Forum's unprecedented move, demanding the removal of the PM without the due process of Parliament, should be taken seriously. Such threat is an overwhelming sign of a nation still bleeding from wounds sustained from years of ethnic conflict. It also demonstrated our susceptibility to plunge ourselves into chaos [again]. While most of our people all too happy to put the worries and burdens of the ethnic crisis behind them, it is quite obvious that some people still feel the need to go back; the urge to once again control the sociopolitical agenda of the Solomon Islands.
Political Processes
Solomon Islands is a Democratic country where institutions and government branches have “processes” that are used (by those in the right places) to address political impasses. In Parliament, the government is constantly checked by an opposing group – the shadow government. It is, therefore, the responsibility of the Opposition camp to ensure government is doing everything legally and appropriately. They use the media and the floor of parliament to scream at the government and in some cases topple the ruling coalition. An example of these processes is the moving of a "No Confidence Vote": Usually when the government loses majority, the OP - having gained plurality - moves a "No Confidence Vote" in which the Prime Minister is voted out and a new PM is elected and a new government organized.
However, it does not mean that the civil society should not have a say in the process. All citizens have the right and freedom to criticize the government; utilizing the media - radio, newspapers, the Internet etc. to convey their dissatisfaction. In fact, criticism of the government is a normal practice unique to Democracy. It makes Democracy a unique system. But there's also danger in using this freedom to attack the government or any private citizen for personal gains.
The Civil Society's Role
The civil society is the last line of defense against tyranny and dictatorship. If all political processes failed; if the government violated the Constitution, including deliberate undermining of the authority of other branches (eg. judicial branch) and institutions of government; if the OP failed to stop this assault, the people must rise against the government with the use of force if necessary. However, the civil society should only act ‘when their rights and freedoms are at stake’.
In 2007, the civil society took to the streets to protest the appointment of Attorney General Julian Moti. Partly because the Opposition was powerless to stop what many people saw as an evidence of "favoritism", and partly because of the history of the appointed AG. Frustrated by the government's inaction on their demands, the civil society obliged to act to stop the swearing in ceremony of the newly elected AG. The PM of the day received the protesters and their demands, and even though none of demands weren't met, the protest was carried out peacefully without aggression, or coercion against the government.
In contrast, the MMF's approach is to force the government to act, or something else might happen. The manner in which the MMF approached the government in the past few weeks is frightening. Their aggressive views don’t reflect the views of the entire Solomon Islands. They are the views of a single ambitious NGO with hidden political agendas. Their approach does not reflect that of the majority of Solomon Islanders who do not, at this point, want to relive the horrors of the past.
The MMF is obviously exploiting what it should be a normal parliamentary dispute for their own benefits. It is no wonder the MMF leadership is filled with some of the people who did enjoyed the miseries of innocent people and businesses in Honiara during the ethnic crisis. What is there agenda? It's only a matter of time and their real agenda will come out. This reason alone [former MEF militants] should inflict doubt in the hearts of all Solomon Islanders.
Voters elected their representatives to serve their best interest in Parliament, and these elected Members have the legal rights and responsibility raise the concerns of their constituents in Parliament. Those who don't serve the interest of their voters get booted out in the next round of national election. This is how voters impacting the political processes, not through threats and coercion.
The Opposition's Mandate.
The MMF’s demands appeared on Solomon Star online, Island Sun online, Solomon Times online, SIBC online and other international news media. The demands stemmed from the organization's disappointment over a number of government alleged shady deals they [MMF] claimed to have unraveled in the past few weeks. The MMF explained to the Solomon Star:
“… Prime Minister Lilo does not have the capacity to lead the nation in an honest and transparent manner.” (Solomon Star)
If “corruption” and “transparency” are the reasons why this Prime Minister should step down, it should be done in the normal Parliamentary processes. It is my opinion that the MMF is trampling on the Parliament's constitutional authority. Earlier in the week, after accusing the Prime Minister of failing to address, appropriately and swiftly, their (MMF) demands, MMF held a public meeting in an apparent effort to intimidate and harass the government. While the civil society may exercise their constitutional right to protest and demands actions from the government, that right in my opinion should not be used to destabilize government operation. It should be reserved for the Opposition camp and other government watchdogs and institutions. There's no need, in my humble opinion, for the civil society to challenge the government that has popular support unless it is of absolute necessity.
Defining Corruption
Corruption is defined as "guilty of dishonest practices, as bribery; lacking integrity; crooked: "(dictionary.com). The government cannot be dissolved, nor should the leader - the Prime Minister - resign or forced out of office because of so-called corruption.
The MMF must first define the word "corruption". If they argue that corruption is an inconvenient behavior that contaminates the integrity of the Prime and his cohorts therefore compromising their ability to lead, the MMF cannot in any way, shape, or form force the PM to resign. Such criticisms merely expressing the organization's opinions, not fact. However, if MMF defines "corruption" as a crime - as outlined in their demands - the Prime Minister and his government must be first declared "guilty" as charged by the Courts. This would validate any criticism against the ruling coalition, and paves way for a new government.
Nevertheless, the MMF is risking its own credibility, public support, and legal standing if it throws around the corruption claim just to lure public support. Failure to respect the authority of the government, the mandates of the Parliament, the rights of the elected MPs, and the responsibility of the Opposition will only send Solomon Islands spirally out of controll.
Ask yourself this question: 'if the MMF and the Opposition failed to topple the government, if the government still garnered plurality of elected MPs, and if the MMF took to the street and failed to achieve their goal of toppling the government, then what next, an armed revolt?
When the Constitution Irrelevant
Those who lived through the horrors of post 2000 Honiara would see frightening affinities of this MMF threats to the events that time. Prior to the coup of 200, the Ulufa'alu government - the SIAC coalition - was enjoying the majority in Parliament, but it also faced both the public and an Opposition group led by an ambitious, power-hungry politician, Hon. Manasseh Sogavare. Mounting pressure on the government led to a number of awful decisions including its decision to give a Malaitan family $16,000 in compensation cash for a rape that was never been proven in court, out of the Guadalcanal provincial grant. The inability of the government to address the tens of thousands of displaced ethnic Malaitans and the Bonefide demands of the Guadalcanal province, gave rise to an unscrupulous coalition of an illegal group (MEF), Solomon Islands Royal Police, and the Opposition camp. This blatant disregard for the rule of law and SI's constitution resulted in the illegal overthrown of a legally elected Prime Minister and the election of a puppet government. The rest of the story is history.
Today, even if the general public sees MMF as a legitimate voice of concern, one that expresses the concerns of all Solomon Islands, the truth may never come out. As in the case of 2000, the general consensus was that the Paramilitary was for the safety of the people of Honiara only to become a horrible experience. The Paramilitary was becoming more ruthless and unstoppable. After a year into the newly elected government, Honiara became a ghost town as people returned to their own Islands. We cannot afford to let this happen again.
Respect the Norms
I explained in the opening paragraphs the processes of Parliament; they are the political norms of Democracy. The processes are there for a reason - to keep the public out of Parliamentary disputes. The lawmaking body of the country must be operated in a free environment; they are free to yell, scream, and even beat each other up. Opposing groups in Parliament Houses across the world do fight with words and fists. Example, in Taiwan and Korea, opposing camps jumped at each other, shoes and chairs were used as weapons. In Britain, the Speaker of the House of Commons quickly moved a motion to remove an angry, out of control MP; the motion was passed and the the MP was removed from the house. These processes were invented for the express purpose of letting lawmakers do their job while maintain public peace. It is, therefore, the responsibility of the Opposition and various oversight committees to investigate and hold corrupt MPs accountable - the PM is not exception.
Yes, we know these processes worked in Solomon Islands. In December 2007, Dr. Derek Sikua and his supporters deserted the government and walked the aisle to join the Opposition. Following protocols and the constitutional obligation of the Opposition, the appointed leader (Dr. Derek Sikua) moved a No Confidence Motion in which the Opposition won. It was a huge victory for the civil society who were apparently agitated by the PM's action.
Peace and stability in our government cannot be solved by an angry general population.
Peace, Stability and Individual Agendas
For the MMF to give the government an ultimatum is extremely dangerous. The word ultimatum, which the media used to describe the MMF demands to the government, means "final". What next?
The Primer Minister's response to the threat was reported by the Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation (SIBC Online):
"... Mr Lilo says given the scale and the threat of the protests by the forum, the National Security Council has been informed of the matter." (sibconline)
It is clear that the PM sees the MMF demands as a serious threat to the government and the nation. He referred this to the "Security Council" which might mean that riot alert is on the government's agenda. Police and RAMSI may have been notified.
Solomon Islands needs peace and stability, economic growth and job creation, but these things cannot be achieved if our the public chose chaos over peaceful resolution, public protest over political and parliamentary processes. It seems that when politicians hold grudges against the government, they always found ways to get back to the government.
Those who are quite familiar with the Guadalcanal insurrection would remember that the main financier of the Guadalcanal Revolution Army (GRA) was the Premier himself, Ezekiel Alebua. He is no stranger to Solomon Islands politics. He was the first ethnic Guale to be elected Prime Minister. As Prime MInister, Mr. Alebua was bombarded with strings of demands from his own people but reluctant to act citing national interest first. He felt from the highest echelons of the SI politics to becoming a farmer at Kakabona. After years of absence, he returned to rule Guadalcanal as the provincial premier. His involvement in the whole Ethnic tension, to many analysts, was his way of sticking it to the government.
The same can be said of Andrew Nori, the MEF's legal advisor. Mr. Nori - a private attorney today - was a Member of Parliament, and an Opposition leader. He fought relentlessly to topple the Mamaloni regime and failed in every attempt. Someone I talked told me that Nori was the only OP member that tabled more No Confidence Motion against the sitting Prime Minister than all OP leaders - since independence - combined. As a Finance Minister, he was allegedly printing more dollar notes than any other FM in SI's history. Whether these allegations are true or not, one thing is known about his time in parliament - he failed to achieved his goal of becoming a Prime Minister.
In 2000, when facing the media, Nori was asked whether his involvement in the coup was an attempt to get back to politics, he denied it. However, many people I know still believe Nori wanted notoriety for himself. Those in his camp were in fact became Parliamentarians and rich men after the coup of 2000.
The MMF is also dominated by former militants and former MPs, and nothing can eclipse their biggest desire to stick it to the government.
*For more information about these people, read Duran Angiki's blog on the MMF threats - Click Here.
Leadership and Resolution
In 2009, after President Obama was elected and Congress fell in the hands of Democrat party, Pres Obama decided to reform Healthcare law from a Free Market Healthcare system to a Government Subsidizing and Centralized system. This unpopular legislation would send a fragile Democracy like SI into complete anarchy, but everyone knows their limit. Opponents of the Healthcare overhaul utilized a system called the "Townhall Meeting". It is a time when Senators and Congressmen/women meet with their constituents to listen to their demands. They voiced their concerns to their represented leaders. Interestingly, when the votes to pass the overhaul came, a few Democrats, after listening to their voters, voted against it.
It is sad that Solomon Islands' systems lack this interactive "processes". It seems that every elected official disappeared from their Constituency for four years only to return and beg for their vote in the next national election.
This whole standoff could be resolved - in my view - if the voters themselves engaged their leaders [MPs] in "Townhall" meetings. What the MMF doesn't tell the public is that the power behind the Prime Minister's control in Parliament, are the MPs who support him. Voters who dislike the government's programs, polices, or dirty deals should be given the chance to meet with their representatives and scream at them, or at least demand that they abandon a government that is so out of control. This "person to person" approach is effective because these elected officials rely on the voters' support, and it is their [elected MPs] duty to make sure their actions in Parliament are in line with the needs and desires of the people. Without this interaction, Solomon Islanders will always demand changes by "intimidation" and "coercion".
*The political agenda will be discussed in another posts.*
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