The Premier of Malita Province accepts weapons from former militants of the province during Malita Day celebrations

A newly arrived member of the Participating Police Force wipes sweat from his brow after helping to build the tent in which he now lives at the Guadalcanal Beach Resort

PPF officers Bruce Harris, Trevor Coutts and Alan Patterson, and Graham Henley from the Australian Army are joined by Chief of the Australian Defence Force General Peter Cosgrove to mark Vietnam Veterans' Day. All five are Vietnam Veterans

New Zealand Police officer Tony McLeod speaks with former militants from the Gold Ridge area before a gun surrender ceremony in the mine

Former militants from the Gold Ridge area bring their guns to a surrender ceremony at the mine

Now it's time to "find" weapons
Published Friday 22 August 2003

By Brian Hartigan in Honiara
Friday 15 August marked another milestone in the history of the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI).

On Friday last week, Special Coordinator Nick Warner with Commander Participating Police Force and Acting Commissioner of the Royal Solomon Islands Police Ben McDevitt took possession of 99 mostly military-style weapons at the Malaita town of Auki.

Following talks with Acting Commissioner McDevitt and Mr Warner, one of the leaders of the Malaita Eagle Force (MEF) Jimmy Rasta surrendered his weapons at the ceremony in Auki to coincide with Malita Day, the province's official annual day of celebrations.

The surrender of MEF weapons and the surrender of weapons and subsequent arrest of Harold Keke, removed many of the barriers and excuses of people who were thus far reluctant to give up their arms.

As the gun amnesty came to an end last night at midnight, almost 3000 weapons have been permanently removed from society.

While happy with this result, RAMSI leaders believe that there are still guns in the community.
Commander of the military elements of RAMSI Lt-Col John Frewen said that people who are holding on to guns are "making a very grave mistake".

From today, the main focus of effort for the police and soldiers of RAMSI will shift from collecting weapons to finding weapons and to arresting those people who went against the will of the vast majority of their fellow citizens by hiding guns.

Lt-Col Frewen made it clear throughout the amnesty period that RAMSI had both the capability and the resolve to find guns wherever they are.

From today onwards, there are no more excuses for anyone to hold on to guns.

As reported last week, the Participating Police Force was bolstered by the arrival of two new groups from Australia and New Zealand. Among these was a team of Forensic Science Police from Australia.

These officers are expert in fingerprint examination, crime scene investigations, ballistic examinations and photography.

They are highly skilled officers who will assist in providing the scientific evidence required to prove cases to the satisfaction of Solomon Island's courts.

RSIP already have Scenes of Crime officers and the PPF forensic specialists will work closely with them to provide investigators with the professional scientific backup they need to successfully conclude complex cases.

RAMSI now has a full compliment of eight transport aircraft based at Henderson International Airport, including two Caribou airplanes and six Iroquois helicopters.

These were kept very busy throughout the past week supporting RAMSI on regional amnesty visits and weapon-surrender ceremonies and in taking supplies to the growing network of police posts outside Honiara.

Acting Commissioner McDevitt opened the fifth such police post on Wednesday this week in Gizo.

Reflecting the assessed security situation in the popular tourist town, two PPF officers were deployed to Gizo to work in the existing RSIP police station without the support of a military security group as in the previous four posts.

After one full month, RAMSI has achieved a great deal, but is not about to rest on its laurels.

With the gun amnesty now finished, many weeks of difficult work lie ahead as the police and soldiers spread out to find and take guns away from people intent on keeping their guns.

Please, if you know where these guns are, help RAMSI to help you make the Solomon Islands a gun-free country.