Solomon Islands violence recedes but not underlying tension

By DAVID RISING and ROD McGUIRK
Associated Press

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Violence has receded in the capital of the Solomon Islands, but the government has shown no signs of attempting to address the underlying grievances that sparked two days of riots, including concerns of the country’s increasing links with China. Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare sought to deflect attention from domestic issues by blaming outside interference for stirring up the protesters, with a thinly veiled reference to Taiwan and the United States. The strife over Taiwan and China is just the latest issue in decades of rivalry between Malaita, the most populous island, and Guadalcanal, where the capital, Honiara, is located.