SOLOMON ISLANDS - TOUGHER TIMES FOR AUSTRALIA AND RAMSI

C O N F I D E N T I A L PORT MORESBY 000203

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

FOR EAP/ANP

E.O. 12958: DECL: 5/8/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL BP
SUBJECT: SOLOMON ISLANDS - TOUGHER TIMES FOR AUSTRALIA AND RAMSI

REF: PORT MORESBY 200

CLASSIFIED BY: Robert Fitts, Ambassador, AMB, STATE.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)



CLASSIFIED BY: Robert Fitts, Ambassador, AMB, STATE.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)

1.(C) SUMMARY: The new Prime Minister's statements, actions and
newly-announced cabinet all auger for tougher times for
Australia in its effort to rebuild a viable Solomon Islands
through RAMSI. Though RAMSI remains overwhelmingly popular for
restoring order, grievances and natural tensions are building up
within the population. The new government leaders seem intent on
grabbing the powers, perks, and spoils of office. As part of
that effort, our initial read is that they hope to marginalize
RAMSI's efforts at restoring governance. END SUMMARY.

2.(C) Prime Minister Sogavare announced his new cabinet over the
weekend. Among the ten members, two stand out as they are
currently in police custody, charged with fomenting public
violence and denied bail (though they were allowed to help vote
in Sogavare from their cells.) One, Charles Dausabea, is
particularly worrisome. Named Minister of Police and National
Security, he is permanently excluded from visiting the U.S. and
Australia for his leadership role in the ethnic violence which
brought down an earlier government. He has been a long-term
opponent of the RAMSI mission and is thought to be one of the
most powerful figures in the current coalition. To defend
Dausabea, the government has retained Julian Moti, a seedy
lawyer who has worked around the Pacific. We understand Moti
has high hopes to become attorney general.

3.(C) Though Sogavare has mouthed reassuring words about RAMSI,
a closer reading is disquieting. Though praising RAMSI's
popular role in restoring order, he has directly questioned the
centerpiece of its effort to rebuild government. RAMSI maintains
line civil servants, usually Australians or New Zealanders, in
most ministries who serve to keep bureaucrats and politicians
from resuming their old corrupt ways. Sogavare has posed his
formulation that, "if there are Solomon Islanders who can do
their job, ~ then they should be used in those positions." The
problem is that the past record is that current Solomon Island
political culture has been unable to produce a class of
bureaucrats or politicians with the integrity to work for
national interests. Problems of government corruption were
particularly evident during Sogavare's last stint as PM.

4.(C) The PM's actions are also worrisome, despite his talk of
cooperation, we understand that he has thus far pointedly
refused to meet with the head of RAMSI. Though a good part of
this may be his desire to underline his independence, our worry
is that it signals as well his intention to marginalize RAMSI
despite the heavy public support the mission has thus far
enjoyed.

FITTS