Solomon Islands leader wins no-confidence vote after riots

By Nick Perry
     Wellington, Dec 6 (AP) The leader of the Solomon Islands has survived a vote of no-confidence in Parliament following riots in the capital city last month.
     Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare told lawmakers in a fiery 90-minute speech on Monday that he'd done nothing wrong and would not bow down to “the forces of evil” or to “Taiwan's agents”. At one point he picked up his chair and banged it on the Parliament floor to emphasise a point.
     Opponents accused him and his government of lying, looting and using Chinese money to cling to power during a debate over a no-confidence motion brought by opposition leader Matthew Wale.
     In the end, Sogavare easily had the numbers, winning 32 votes to 15, with two abstentions.
     The riots in Honiara grew from a peaceful protest and highlighted long-simmering regional rivalries, economic problems and concerns about the country's increasing links with China.
     Troops and police from Australia, Papua New Guinea, Fiji and New Zealand have been helping keep the peace at the request of the Solomon Islands government.
     Many businesses remained closed in Honiara ahead of the vote over concerns that violence could erupt again, leading to an eerie calm.
     The Solomon Islands has a population of about 700,000 and is located northeast of Australia. (AP) SCY
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(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)