I remember walking down the streets of Chinatown in November 2006 and feeling its emptiness – there were hardly any people around, most shops were closed or destroyed, and there was the utter silence. It was like walking through a ghost town.
Following the riots, the then Prime Minister resigned after just eight days in office. The no confidence motion led to his resignation. RAMSI forces were also quick to respond, deploying more troops, along with extra police forces from Australia, New Zealand and Fiji, to restore law and order. There were doubts that the large scale looting and destruction of Chinatown were spontaneous. The investigation resulted in three members from the parliament being arrested for orchestrating the riots.
There were also fingers being pointed at the Participating Police Force and the Australian forces, criticised for their failure to predict and prevent looting and arson that had occurred. Approximately 31 troops and police officers were injured whilst they attempted to protect people and buildings from the rioters.
Fast forward five years later and the Chinatown I see before me is very different to what I remember. Burnt buildings have been completely replaced with new ones, and there are streams of new shops bustling with activity, with lots of people and cars everywhere. It really feels like the retail centre of Honiara.
My visit this time is to the ‘New Chinatown’, where SIDT’s office is located. The timber two-storey house, located near the Solomon Star printing office, is a hub for many non-governmental organisations, including the Vois Blong Mere Solomon, World Wildlife Fund, Green Peace and Civil Society Network. There are definite advantages to co-locating NGO offices in one central building: the potential for collaboration and information sharing, and strengthening the NGO identity and representation. What strikes me as I walk into the NGO hub is that the place is buzzing with ideas, energy and the desire for change.
The New Chinatown is more than about having new buildings and shops. It is a place where people, businesses and organisations are thriving, and they add to the momentum for bringing about social change. I feel a strong sense of hope that there will be no repeats of the 2006 riots…not in New Chinatown.
