RAMSI retained high levels of popular support until the mission finally ended in June 2017.

For most Solomon Islanders, it was the mission's Participating Police Force (PPF) that provided the public face of RAMSI.

In the course of their work, the Pacific Islands police drew on their affinity with village life; appreciation of family and kinship ties, customary practices and beliefs; and their knowledge of the role churches play in Pacific Islands society.

Pacific Islands police had an advantage over their non-Pacific Islands PPF colleagues - some could use their "local" understanding and sensibilities to persuade their Australian or New Zealand managers to move beyond conventional Western policing norms where appropriate.

The church outreach programme permitted uniformed officers to attend services and speak with local congregations about a range of issues including law and order.

An officer involved in this PPF-approved programme claimed its extended outreach was approximately 67,000 people in a single year - or 10% of the national population.

These conclusions are contained in a report prepared by the Australian National University's Department of Pacific Affairs with the support of the Australian Federal Police.

The report offered a detailed examination of the experiences of Pacific Islands police who served with the mission.

The findings are based on interviews, focus-group meetings and some survey work.

Source

lowyinstitute.org

bellschool.anu.edu.au

The women from Guadalcanal, Central and Makira provinces are attending the 8th Archdiocese Gathering for Catholic Women being held at the Catholic Tangarare Parish in West Guadalcanal.

Organisers of the meeting invited representatives of the Ministry of Police, National Security and Correctional Services, the RSIPF and the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI) for a briefing on the RSIPF limited rearmament project approved by the Government in 2013.

Following the presentation from the Ministry of Police, RSIPF and RAMSI participants expressed their appreciation for the information session with many women indicating their support for the plan by the Solomon Islands Government to rearm three units of the local police force.

Women commented on the need for RSIPF officers to be equipped and ready to protect and serve their communities.

Many welcomed the rearmament of parts of the RSIPF as a means to enable police officers to better protect themselves and community members in high-threat situations, and as a last resort.

The women urged members of the RSIPF to take the rearmament seriously as it was a significant responsibility.

Source

• solomonstarnews.com
• Image: radionz.co.nz