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Burning houses in Honiara after the uprisings
Photo: JOB RONGO'AU FUOO / AFP
To stop protests, the Solomon Islands government has issued a 36-hour lockdown in the capital, Honiara.
Protesters calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare had previously ransacked and set fire to buildings in the capital for two days.
Among other things, the Parliament of the Pacific State was affected.
The police used tear gas.
"Our nation witnessed yet another sad and unfortunate event aimed at overthrowing a democratically elected government," Sogavare said.
The lockdown should continue until Friday.
It will "allow our law enforcement agencies to fully investigate the perpetrators of today's events and prevent further lawless destruction," he said.
According to local media reports, people from the country's most populous island, Malaita, had traveled to the capital to demonstrate against unfulfilled election promises.
The provincial residents feel they are being overlooked by the government.
Tense relationship with China
Sogavare's government has also come under fire for having decided in 2019 to sever ties with Taiwan and establish a formal relationship with China.
The province had resisted the decision made in 2019.
This led to an independence referendum last year, which the national government rejected as illegal.
Relations with the People's Republic of China are tense.
Serious unrest had already broken out in 2006 following controversial elections.
At that time, many Chinese-owned companies in Honiara were burned and looted.
According to the Australian media, Australia's highest security committee has already discussed the increasing unrest in the Solomon Islands.
However, the Australian government said it had no immediate plans for intervention and did not disclose whether the Solomon Islands had sought help.
mrc / Reuters
