The Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands, Mr. Bartholomew Ulufa'Alu,...

The Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands, Mr. Bartholomew Ulufa'Alu, resigned from his post, citing "political instability" and "ongoing problems" in the country. His resignation comes amid intense pressure from the Malaita Eagle Force (MEF), a militant group that has seized control of the country's capital, Honiara, in May. The MEF had demanded that Ulufa'Alu step down and make way for a new government that would represent the interests of the country's ethnic Malaitan population. The MEF had accused the prime minister of favoring the rival Guadalcanal people, with whom the Malaitans had been engaged in a bitter ethnic conflict. Ulufa'Alu's resignation was seen as a positive development by many in the Solomon Islands, as it paved the way for a peaceful resolution to the country's political crisis. However, there were concerns that the MEF's demands could lead to further violence and instability in the country, which had already been wracked by years of ethnic conflict.

Tuesday, 13 June, 2000