A massive earthquake and tsunami have struck the Solomon Islands, even as the impoverished archipelago recovered from a coup, civil war and last years anti-Chinese political riots. The current death toll is 22 and rising, including at least one New Zealander, along with several thousand made homeless. A RNZAF Hercules is on its way – Australia, the UN and several NGOs have also pledged aid in response to the tragedy.
Danger Room has a great post from David Axe on Australia’s contribution. Axe is apparently in Timor right now. In his post, he quotes some differing perspectives on Australia’s role in the region: deputy sheriff to the US, neo-imperial colonisers, or a vital source of aid and security?
The response to the tsunami may well determine how Australia and New Zealand’s role is seen in the Solomons, where the joint peacekeeping mission, RAMSI, has come under fire recently. It’s a reminder about the importance of combining “hard” with “soft” power, and why military power alone cannot provide security in the South Pacific. The tsunami will have consequences beyond immediate humanitarian concerns. Will those internally displaced contribute to further communal conflict in the islands? And will the response from Australia improve its image in the region?
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Left by Timor » Blog Archive » Macau Continua o on April 3rd, 2007