Solomons PM survives confidence vote, blames crisis on 'Taiwan's agents'

Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare survived a no-confidence vote, after he was accused of corruption and using Chinese funds to prop up his government

Embattled Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare survived a no-confidence vote Monday, while accusing "Taiwan's agents" of orchestrating recent political violence that plunged the Pacific island nation into crisis.

The pro-Beijing leader comfortably saw off an opposition attempt to oust him, winning 32 votes to 15 after a fractious and hot-tempered day-long debate.

Three days of rioting late last month left the Chinatown area of the capital Honiara in ruins and claimed at least three lives, with dozens of buildings destroyed.

They used shipping containers to seal off areas of the rubble-strewn capital, closed the port to ferries from neighbouring islands and enforced a city-wide liquor ban. 

The crisis erupted late last month when protests about Sogavare's policies turned violent, fuelled by poverty, unemployment and inter-island rivalries in the nation of 800,000.

"We cannot entertain violence being used to tear down a democratically elected government," he said.

Many of Sogavare's detractors come from Malaita. Residents there believe the country's most populous island does not get a fair share of resource revenue and is neglected by the central government. 

- 'Foreign cronies' -

Sogavare said the opposition had conspired with Taiwan to incite unrest over the 2019 switch in an "attempted coup", although he offered no solid evidence.

At one point the veteran leader rose to his feet and slammed his chair up and down while screaming at opposition leader Matthew Wale, who brought the motion.

The opposition leader condemned last month's rioting, but added "it pales in comparison to the looting happening at the top at the expense of ordinary Solomon Islanders".

The central bank has put the damage caused by the riots at US$67 million, saying 63 buildings in the capital were burned and looted.

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