Solomon Islands / Ilhas Salomão

Is a country in Melanesia, east of Papua New Guinea, consisting of nearly one thousand islands. Together they cover a land mass of 28,400 square kilometres (10,965 sq mi). The capital is Honiara, located on the island of Guadalcanal.

The Solomon Islands are believed to have been inhabited by Melanesian people for thousands of years. The United Kingdom established a protectorate over the Solomon Islands in the 1890s. Some of the most bitter fighting of World War II occurred in the Solomon Islands campaign of 1942–45, including the Battle of Guadalcanal. Self-government was achieved in 1976 and independence two years later. The Solomon Islands is a constitutional monarchy with Queen Elizabeth II as the head of state.

Since 1998 ethnic violence, government misconduct and crime have undermined stability and society. In June 2003 an Australian-led multinational force, the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI), arrived to restore peace, disarm ethnic militias and improve civil governance.

The North Solomon Islands are divided between the independent Solomon Islands and Bougainville Province in Papua New Guinea.

 

History

It is believed that Papuan speaking settlers began to arrive around 30,000 BC. Austronesian speakers arrived circa 4,000 BC also bringing cultural elements such as the outrigger canoe. It is between 1,200 and 800 BC that the ancestors of the Polynesians, the Lapita people, arrived from the Bismarck Archipelago with their characteristic ceramics. The first European to visit the islands was the Spanish navigator Álvaro de Mendaña de Neira, coming from Peru in 1568.

Missionaries began visiting the Solomons in the mid-19th century. They made little progress at first, because "blackbirding" (the often brutal recruitment of laborers for the sugar plantations in Queensland and Fiji) led to a series of reprisals and massacres. The evils of the labor trade prompted the United Kingdom to declare a protectorate over the southern Solomons in 1893. This was the basis of the British Solomon Islands Protectorate. In 1898 and 1899, more outlying islands were added to the protectorate; in 1900 the remainder of the archipelago, an area previously under German jurisdiction, was transferred to British administration apart from the islands of Buka and Bougainville which remained under German administration as part of German New Guinea (until they were occupied by Australia in 1914, after the commencement of World War I). Traditional trade and social intercourse between the western Solomon Islands of Mono and Alu (the Shortlands) and the traditional societies in the south of Bougainville, however, continued without hindrance. Under the protectorate, missionaries settled in the Solomons, converting most of the population to Christianity. In the early 20th century, several British and Australian firms began large-scale coconut planting. Economic growth was slow, however, and the islanders benefited little.

 

World War II

With the outbreak of World War II, most planters and traders were evacuated to Australia, and most cultivation ceased. Some of the most intense fighting of World War II occurred in the Solomons. The most significant[citation needed] of the Allied Forces' operations against the Japanese Imperial Forces was launched on August 7, 1942 with simultaneous naval bombardments and amphibious landings on the Florida Islands at Tulagi and Red Beach on Guadalcanal. The Battle of Guadalcanal became an important and bloody campaign fought in the Pacific War as the Allies began to repulse Japanese expansion. Of strategic importance during the war were the coastwatchers operating in remote locations, often on Japanese held islands, providing early warning and intelligence of Japanese naval, army and aircraft movements during the campaign. Sergeant-Major Jacob Vouza was a notable coastwatcher who after capture refused to divulge Allied information in spite of interrogation and torture by Japanese Imperial forces. He was awarded a Silver Star by the Americans. Islanders Biuku Gasa and Eroni Kumana would be noted by National Geographic for being the first to find the shipwrecked John F. Kennedy and his crew of the PT-109. They suggested using a coconut to write a rescue message for delivery by dugout canoe, which was later kept on his desk when he became the president of the United States.

The Solomon Islands was one of the major staging areas of the South Pacific and was home to the famous VMF-214 "Black Sheep" Squadron commanded by Major Greg "Pappy" Boyington. The Slot was a name for New Georgia Sound, when it was used by the Tokyo Express to supply the Japanese garrison on Guadalcanal.

 

Independence movement

Following the end of World War II, the British colonial government returned. The capital was moved from Tulagi to Honiara to take advantage of the infrastructure left behind by the U.S. military. A revolutionary movement known as Maasina Ruru helped to organize and focus a mass campaign of civil disobedience and strikes across the islands. There was much disorder and the leaders were jailed in late-1948. Throughout the 1950s, other indigenous dissident groups appeared and disappeared without gaining strength. In 1960, an advisory council of Solomon Islanders was superseded by a legislative council, and an executive council was created as the protectorate's policymaking body. The council was given progressively more authority. In 1974, a new constitution was adopted establishing a parliamentary democracy and ministerial system of government. In mid-1975, the name Solomon Islands officially replaced that of British Solomon Islands Protectorate.

On January 2, 1976, the Solomons became self-governing, and independence followed on July 7, 1978, the first post-independence government being elected in August 1980. The series of governments formed since have not performed to upgrade and build the country. Following the 1997 election of Bartholomew Ulufa'alu the political situation in the Solomons began to deteriorate. Governance was slipping as the performance of the police and other government agencies deteriorated due to what is commonly known as "the tensions".

 

Tensions

Commonly referred to as the tensions or the ethnic tension, the initial civil unrest was mainly characterised by fighting between the Isatabu Freedom Movement (also known as the Guadalcanal Revolutionary Army) and the Malaita Eagle Force (as well as the Marau Eagle Force). (Although much of the conflict was between Guales and Malaitans, Kabutaulaka (2001) and Dinnen (2002) argue that the 'ethnic conflict' label is an oversimplification). For detailed discussions of The Tensions, see also Fraenkel (2004) and Moore (2004).

In late 1998, militants on the island of Guadalcanal commenced and had a campaign of intimidation and violence towards Malaitan settlers. During the next year, thousands of Malaitans fled back to Malaita or to the capital, Honiara (which, although situated on Guadalcanal, is predominantly populated by Malaitans and Solomon Islanders from other provinces). In 1999, the Malaita Eagle Force (MEF) was established in response.

The reformist government of Bartholomew Ulufa'alu struggled to respond to the complexities of this evolving conflict. In late 1999, the government declared a four month state of emergency. There were also a number of attempts at reconciliation ceremonies but to no avail. He also requested assistance from Australia and New Zealand in 1999 but this was rejected.

In June 2000, Ulufa'alu was kidnapped by militia members of the MEF who felt that although he was a Malaitan, he was not doing enough to protect their interests. Ulufa'alu subsequently resigned in exchange for his release. Manasseh Sogavare, who had earlier been Finance Minister in Ulufa'alu's government but had subsequently joined the opposition, was elected as Prime Minister by 23-21 over Rev. Leslie Boseto. However Sogavare's election was immediately shrouded in controversy because six MPs (thought to be supporters of Boseto) were unable to attend parliament for the crucial vote (Moore 2004, n.5 on p.174).

In October 2000, the Townsville Peace Agreement, was signed by the Malaita Eagle Force, elements of the IFM and the Solomon Islands Government. This was closely followed by the Marau Peace agreement in February 2001, signed by the Marau Eagle Force, the Isatabu Freedom Movement, the Guadalcanal Provincial Government and the Solomon Islands Government. However, a key Guale militant leader, Harold Keke, refused to sign the Agreement, causing a split with the Guale groups. Subsequently, Guale signatories to the Agreement led by Andrew Te'e joined with the Malaitan-dominated police to form the 'Joint Operations Force'. During the next two years the conflict moved to the Weathercoast of Guadalcanal as the Joint Operations unsuccessfully attempted to capture Keke and his group.

New elections in December 2001 brought Sir Allan Kemakeza into the Prime Minister’s chair with the support of his People's Alliance Party and also the Association of Independent Members. Law and order deteriorated as the nature of the conflict shifted: there was continuing violence on the Weathercoast whilst militants in Honiara increasingly turned their attention to crime and extortion. The Department of Finance would often be surrounded by armed men when funding was due to arrive. In December 2002, Finance Minister Laurie Chan resigned after being forced at gunpoint to sign a cheque made out to some of the militants. Conflict also broke out in Western Province between locals and Malaitan settlers. Renegade members of the Bougainville Revolutionary Army (BRA) were invited in as a protection force but ended up causing as much trouble as they prevented.

The prevailing atmosphere of lawlessness, widespread extortion and ineffective police prompted a formal request by the Solomon Islands Government for outside help. With the country bankrupt and the capital in chaos, the request was unanimously supported in Parliament.

In July 2003, Australian and Pacific Island police and troops arrived in the Solomon Islands under the auspices of the Australian-led Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI). A sizable international security contingent of 2,200 police and troops, led by Australia and New Zealand, and with representatives from about 20 other Pacific nations began arriving the next month under Operation Helpem Fren. Since this time some commentators have considered the country a failed state.

In April 2006 allegations that the newly elected Prime Minister Snyder Rini had used bribes from Chinese businessmen to buy the votes of members of Parliament led to mass rioting in the capital Honiara. A deep underlying resentment against the minority Chinese business community led to much of Chinatown in the city being destroyed. Tensions had also been increased by the belief that large sums of money were being exported to China. China sent chartered aircraft to evacuate hundreds of Chinese who fled to avoid the riots. Evacuation of Australian and British citizens was on a much smaller scale. Further Australian, New Zealand and Fijian police and troops were dispatched to try to quell the unrest. Rini eventually resigned before facing a motion of no-confidence in Parliament, and Parliament elected Manasseh Sogavare as Prime Minister.

Randell, N. (2003) The White Headhunter Carroll & Graf Publishers, New York

Dinnen (2002), ‘Winners and losers: politics and disorder in the Solomon Islands 2000-2002’, The Journal of Pacific History, Vol.37, No.3, pp.285–98.

Fraenkel, J. (2004) The Manipulation of Custom: from Uprising to Intervention in the Solomon Islands, Pandanus Books, Sydney

Moore, C. (2004) Happy Isles in Crisis: the Historical Causes for a Failing State in Solomon Islands, 1998-2004, Asia Pacific Press, Canberra

Kabutaulaka, T (2001) Beyond ethnicity: the political economy of the Guadalacanal crisis in Solomon Islands, SSGM Working Paper 01/1

 

2007 earthquake and tsunami

Main article: 2007 Solomon Islands earthquake and tsunami

On 2 April 2007, the Solomon Islands were struck by a major earthquake followed by a large tsunami. Initial reports indicated that the tsunami, which mainly affected the small island of Gizo, was several metres in height (perhaps as high as 10 metres (33 ft) according to some reports, 5 metres (16 1/3 ft) according to the Foreign Office). The tsunami was triggered by an 8.1 magnitude earthquake, with an epicenter 217 miles (349 km) northwest of the island's capital, Honiara, at Lat -8.453 Long 156.957 and at a depth of 10 kilometres (6.2 miles).

According to the United States Geologic Survey the earthquake struck at 20:39:56 UTC on Sunday, 1 April 2007. Since the initial event and up until 22:00:00 UTC on Wednesday, 4 April 2007, more than 44 aftershocks of a magnitude of 5.0 or greater were recorded in the region.

The death toll from the resulting tsunami was at least 52 people, and the tsunami destroyed more than 900 homes and has left thousands of people homeless.

Land thrust from the quake has extended out from the shoreline of one island, Ranongga, by up to 70 meters (230 ft) according to local residents. This has left many once pristine coral reefs exposed on the newly formed beaches.

 

Geography

The Solomon Islands is a wide island nation that lies East of Papua New Guinea and consists of many islands: Choiseul, the Shortland Islands; the New Georgia Islands; Santa Isabel; the Russell Islands; Nggela (the Florida Islands); Malaita; Guadalcanal; Sikaiana; Maramasike; Ulawa; Uki; Makira (San Cristobal); Santa Ana; Rennell and Bellona; the Santa Cruz Islands and three remote, tiny outliers, Tikopia, Anuta, and Fatutaka. The distance between the westernmost and easternmost islands is about 1,500 kilometres (930 mi). The Santa Cruz Islands (of which Tikopia is part), are situated north of Vanuatu and are especially isolated at more than 200 kilometres (120 mi) from the other islands. Bougainville is geographically part of the Solomon Islands, but politically Papua New Guinea.

The islands' ocean-equatorial climate is extremely humid throughout the year, with a mean temperature of 27 °C (80 °F) and few extremes of temperature or weather. June through August is the cooler period. Though seasons are not pronounced, the northwesterly winds of November through April bring more frequent rainfall and occasional squalls or cyclones. The annual rainfall is about 3050 mm (120 in).

The Solomon Islands archipelago is part of two distinct terrestrial ecoregions. Most of the islands are part of the Solomon Islands rain forests ecoregion, which also includes the islands of Bougainville and Buka, which are part of Papua New Guinea, these forests have come under pressure from forestry activities. The Santa Cruz Islands are part of the Vanuatu rain forests ecoregion, together with the neighboring archipelago of Vanuatu. Soil quality ranges from extremely rich volcanic (there are volcanoes with varying degrees of activity on some of the larger islands) to relatively infertile limestone. More than 230 varieties of orchids and other tropical flowers brighten the landscape.

The islands contain several active and dormant volcanoes. The Tinakula and Kavachi volcanoes are the most active.

 

Other Infos

Oficial name:

Solomon Islands

 

Independence:

7 July 1978

 

Area:

28.370 km2

 

Inhabitants:

497.000

 

Languages:

Amba ,Anuta ,'Are'are,Arosi ,Asumboa ,Ayiwo ,Babatana ,Baeggu ,Baelelea ,Bauro ,Birao ,Blablanga ,Bughotu ,Cheke-Holo ,Dori'o ,Duke ,English ,Fagani ,Fataleka ,Gao ,Gela ,Ghanongga ,Ghari ,Gula'alaa ,Hoava ,Kahua ,Kiribati ,Kokota ,Kusaghe ,Kwaio ,Kwara'ae ,Laghu ,Lau ,Lavukaleve ,Lengo ,Longgu ,Lungga ,Malango ,Marovo ,Mono ,Nanggu ,Ontong Java ,Oroha ,Owa ,Pijin ,Pileni ,Rennell-Belona ,Rennellese Sign Language ,Ririo ,Roviana ,Sa'a ,Santa Cruz ,Savosavo ,Sikaiana ,Simbo ,Talise ,Tanema ,Tanimbili ,Teanu ,Tikopia ,To'abaita ,Touo ,Ughele ,Vaghua ,Vangunu ,Varisi ,Wala ,Zabana ,Zazao

 

Capital city:

Honiara

 

Meaning country name:

The Spanish explorer Alvaro de Mendaña y Neyra named the islands in 1567/8. Expecting to find a lot of gold there, he named them after the Biblical King Solomon of Israel, renowned for his great wisdom, wealth, and power.

 

Description Flag:

The national flag of the Solomon Islands was adopted officially on November 18, 1977. The five main island groups are represented by the five stars. The blue is supposed to represent the surrounding ocean, while the green represents the land. The yellow stripe is symbolic of the sunshine.

 

Coat of arms:

The coat of arms of the Solomon Islands shows a shield which is framed by a crocodile and a shark. The motto is displayed under it, which reads "To Lead Is to Serve." Over the shield there is a helmet with decorations, crowned by a stylized sun.

 

Motto:

"To Lead is to Serve"

 

National Anthem: God save our Solomon Islands

 

God bless our Solomon Islands from shore to shore

Blessed all our people and all our lands

With your protecting hands

Joy, Peace, Progress and Prosperity

That men shall brothers be, make nations see

our Solomon Islands, our Solomon Islands

Our nation Solomon Islands

Stands forever more.

 

Internet Page: www.pmc.gob.sb

www.exploringsolomons.wikispaces.com

www.visitsolomons.com.sb

 

Solomon in diferent languages

 

eng: Solomon Islands

arg | spa: Islas Salomón

deu | nds: Salomonen / Salomonen; Salomoninseln / Salomoninſeln

dsb | hsb: Salomonowe kupy

ind | msa: Kepulauan Solomon / كڤولاوان سولومون

kin | run: Amazinga ya Solomoni

afr: Solomon Eilande

ast: Islles Salomón

aze: Solomon adaları / Соломон адалары

bis: Solomon Aelan

bos: Solomonski otoci / Соломонски отоци

bre: Inizi Salomon

cat: Illes Salomó

ces: Šalamounovy ostrovy

cor: Ynysow Salamon

crh: Solomon Adaları / Соломон Адалары

cym: Ynysoedd Solomon

dan: Salomonøerne

epo: Salomonoj

est: Saalomoni Saared

eus: Salomon uharteak

fao: Sálomonoyggjarnar

fin: Salomonsaaret

fra: Îles Salomon

frp: Iles Salomon

fry: Salomonseilannen

fur: Salomone

gla: Na h-Eileanan Sholaimh

gle: Na hOileáin Sholamón / Na hOileáin Ṡolamón

glg: Illas Salomón

glv: Ny h-Ellanyn Holomon

hat: Salomon

hrv: Solomonski otoci

hun: Salamon-szigetek

ibo: Agwe-etiti Solomon

ina: Insulas Salomon

isl: Salómonseyjar

ita: Isole Salomone

jav: Kepulauan Solomon

jnf: Îles Solomon

kaa: Solomon atawları / Соломон атаўлары

kmr: Adaêd Sulêmanê/ Адаед Сӧлемане / ئادایێد سولێمانێ; Cezîrêd Sulêmanê/ Щәзиред Сӧлемане / جزیرێد سولێمانێ; Adaêd Solomonê/ Адаед Соломоне / ئادایێد سۆلۆمۆنێ; Cezîrêd Solomonê/ Щәзиред Соломоне / جزیرێد سۆلۆمۆنێ

kur: Solomonên / سۆلۆمۆنێن

lat: Insulae Salomonicae

lav: Zālamana salas

lin: Monɛ́nɛ ya Salomon

lit: Saliamono salos

lld: Salomones

ltz: Salomonen / Salomonen; Salomoninselen / Salomoninſelen

mlg: Nosy Solomona

mlt: Gżejjer Solomon

mol: Insulele Solomon / Инсулеле Соломон

nld: Salomonseilanden

nno: Salomonøyane

nob: Salomonøyene

nrm: Îles déSalomoun

oci: Illas Salomon

pol: Wyspy Salomona

por: Ilhas Salomão

que: Salumun W’atakuna

rmy: Dvipa Solomon / द्वीपा सोलोमोन

roh: Inslas da Salomon

ron: Insulele Solomon

rup: Insulile Solomon

scn: Ìsuli Salamuni

slk: Šalamúnove ostrovy

slo: Solomonju Ostrovis / Соломонйу Островис

slv: Salomonovi otoki

sme: Salomonsullot

smg: Saliamuona Saluos

smo: Atu Solomona

sqi: Ishujt Solomon

srd: Isulas Salomone

swa: Visiwa vya Solomon

swe: Salomonöarna

tet: Nusar Solomon

ton: ʻOtu Motu Solomone

tpi: Solomon Ailan

tuk: Solomon adalary / Соломон адалары

tur: Solomonlar; Solomon Adaları; Salamonlar; Salamon Adaları; Süleymanlar; Süleyman Adaları

uzb: Solomon orollari / Соломон ороллари

vie: Quần đảo Xô-lô-mông

vol: Salomonuäns

vor: Saalomoni Saarõq

wln: Iyes Solomon

wol: Dunu Solomon

zza: Adey Solomoni; Gırawê Solomoni

alt: Соломонов ортолыктар (Solomonov ortolyktar)

bak: Соломон утрауҙары / Solomon utrauźarı

bel: Саламонавы астравы / Sałamonavy astravy; Саламонавы выспы / Sałamonavy vyspy

bul: Соломонови острови (Solomonovi ostrovi)

che: Соломон гӀайреш (Solomon ġajreš)

chm: Соломоновый остров-влак (Solomonovyj ostrov-vlak)

chv: Соломон утравӗсем (Solomon utravĕsem)

kaz: Соломон аралдары / Solomon araldarı / سولومون ارالدارى

kbd: Соломон островхэр (Solomon ostrovĥăr)

kir: Соломон аралдары (Solomon araldary)

kjh: Соломоново олтырыхтар (Solomonovo oltyryĥtar)

krc: Соломон айрымканлары (Solomon ajrymkanlary)

kum: Соломон атавлары (Solomon atavlary)

mkd: Соломонски острови (Solomonski ostrovi)

mon: Соломоны арлууд (Solomony arluud)

oss: Соломоны сакъадӕхтӕ (Solomony saḳadäĥtä)

rus: Соломоновы острова (Solomonovy ostrova)

srp: Соломонска острва / Solomonska ostrva

tat: Соломон утраулары / Solomon utrawları

tgk: Ҷазираҳои Соломон / جزیرههای سالامان / Çazirahoi Solomon

tyv: Соломон ортулуктары (Solomon ortuluktary)

ukr: Соломонові острови (Solomonovi ostrovy)

ara: جزر سولومون (Ǧuzuru Sūlūmūn); جزائر سولومون (Ǧazāʾiru Sūlūmūn); جزر سليمان (Ǧuzuru Sulaymān); جزائر سليمان (Ǧazāʾiru Sulaymān)

fas: جزایر سلیمان / Jazâyere Soleymân

prs: جزایر سلیمان (Jazāyer-e Soleimān)

pus: د سليمان ټاپوګان (də Sulaymān / Sulīmān ṫāpogān)

uig: سولومون ئاراللىرى / Solomon aralliri / Соломон араллири

urd: جزائر سولومون (Jazāʾir-e Solomon)

div: ސޮލޮމޮން އައިލެންޑްސް (Solomon A'ilenḋs)

heb: איי-שלמה (Iye-Šəlomoh); איי-סולומון (Iye-Sôlômôn)

lad: איזלאס סאלומון / Izlas Salomon

yid: סאַלאָמאָן-אינדזלען (Salomon-Indzlen)

amh: የሶሎሞን ደሴቶች (yä-Solomon dässetoč)

ell-dhi: Νησιά Σολομώντα (Nīsiá Solomṓnta)

ell-kat: Νῆσοι Σολομῶντος (Nī̃soi Solomō̃ntos)

hye: Սոլոմոնյան կղզիներ (Solomonyan kġziner); Սողոմոնի կղզիներ (Soġomoni kġziner)

kat: სოლომონის კუნძულები (Solomonis kundzulebi)

ben: সলোমন দ্বীপপুঞ্জ (Sôlomôn dbīppuñjô)

pan: ਸੋਲੋਮੋਨ ਟਾਪੂ (Solomon ṭāpū)

kan: ಸಾಲೊಮನ್ ದ್ವೀಪಗಳು (Sāloman dvīpagaḷu)

mal: സോളമന് ദ്വീപുകള് (Sōḷaman dvīpukaḷ); സോളമന് ഐലന്റ്സ് (Sōḷaman Ailanṟs)

tam: சொலொமன் தீவுகள் (Čolomaṉ tīvukaḷ); சாலமன் தீவுகள் (Čālamaṉ tīvukaḷ)

tel: సొలొమన్ దీవులు (Soloman dīvulu)

zho: 所羅門群島/所罗门群岛 (Suǒluōmén Qúndǎo)

jpn: ソロモン諸島 (Soromon Shotō)

kor: 솔로몬제도 (Sollomon Jedo)

mya: ဆော္လမ္ဝန္က္ဝ္ယန္းစု (Sʰɔlámũ Kyũsú)

tha: หมู่เกาะโซโลมอน ([h]Mū̀kɔ Sōlōmɔ̄n)

khm: កោះសូឡូម៉ូន (Kōḥ Sūḷūmūn); កោះស៊ូឡូម៉ុង (Kōḥ Sūḷūmuṅ)

 

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