Solomon Islands. Mono Island. Chief John Goldie greets Major Stephens.
30 November 2007
By Contingent Commander, Major Sholto Stephens
It has been 6 months since our team concentrated at RNZAF Base Ohakea to commence Pre-deployment Training for service in the Solomon Islands. All of the contingent members arrived with a variety of different expectations.
Over ¾ of the group are Territorial Force personnel who volunteered to serve for the six months. Many of them gave up their jobs or were granted six months Leave Without Pay by their employers to serve their country. Some have taken a substantial pay cut in serving with the NZDF overseas.
Our Pre-deployment training brought home the realities of what we were training for - mostly benign activity and routine soldiering with the occasional period of high tempo activities. Our training prepared us to work from small boats, to conduct crowd control, to know when to use force and when not to, and how to patrol in urban areas. It also taught us some non-tangible skills such as how to interact with people from different cultures, the background of the Solomon Islands people, and their recent troubles.
While deployed to the Solomon Islands we have been fortunate to work alongside some very capable and experienced people as part of the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI). Most notably these include Australian Federal Policemen and women who frequently patrol the streets and villages with us. We have also developed a strong bond with the ‘Kiwi Cops’ who are also serving up here. Many of them are on their first deployment away from Aotearoa. They commiserated with us after the Rugby World Cup loss to the French, and there have been strong friendships made with the other Military contingents here: from Australia, Tonga and Papua New Guinea.
For the Platoon (about 33 of the 43 personnel over here) highlights include the chance to live and walk among the community – getting to know many of the locals, especially in some of the rural areas. Another highlight for the Platoon and support staff has been the opportunity to venture into the outer Provinces, away from the capital city, Honiara. Much of the travel to achieve this was done by boat and the welcomes received from villages when the Kiwi Soldiers arrived was extremely generous and genuine.
Unlike some other missions which the NZDF conducts, we are not here to conduct or coordinate large aid projects; there is a Central and Provincial Government system already in place that provides these fundamental aspects for Solomon Islanders. Instead our role has been to ensure a secure and stable environment; to reinforce law and order so that normalcy can be cemented after the tensions of 1999-2000, 2003 and the riots in Honiara of April 2006. A recent survey of the Solomon Islands public showed that 90% of the population want RAMSI here in the Solomon Islands and this is evident in the smiles and waves that we all regularly receive when walking or driving around the country.
Much of our interaction with locals and other RAMSI personnel has centred around sport; normally soccer or touch rugby. Not a week has gone by that we have not been able to challenge (or be challenged by) locals, Police or another Military Contingent to an outdoor game, despite the 30+ degree temperatures.
We have also been fortunate enough to visit a small community near the border with Papua New Guinea with a strong link to New Zealand. Mono Island was liberated by New Zealand and American servicepersons in 1943 and in the battle for the Island 40 New Zealanders were killed. To this day the Island still commemorates ‘New Zealand Day’ on 27 October each year. For those contingent personnel who have been able to visit the Island and meet the local community this has been a highlight of their time here in the Solomon Islands.
The time has flown by since we met each other for the first time in June 2007 and most of our contingent cannot believe what we have achieved over the past 6 months.
The support many of us have received from our friends and families back in New Zealand has been great; mail bags of minties, pineapple lumps and other kiwiana goodies have kept our spirits up on occasions when we have needed a lift. The contingent has worked tirelessly to achieve all of the tasks given to them, many being physically and mentally arduous in nature.
The contingent personnel have worked extremely well with each other and with the different RAMSI nationalities it works alongside with. All of us leave with fantastic experiences we will remember for a lifetime.
I’m extremely proud to have worked with such a highly motivated team of people; from different units, different services, and Regular and Territorial Forces.
I look forward to working with them on future deployments with the New Zealand Defence Force.
Ake Ake Kia Kaha.
Ends