| Accession Number | P04580.017 |
|---|---|
| Collection type | Photograph |
| Object type | Negative |
| Maker |
Bohane, Ben |
| Place made | Pacific Islands: Solomon Islands, Guadalcanal |
| Date made | June 2000 |
| Conflict |
Period 2000-2009 |
| Copyright |
Item copyright: AWM Licensed copyright |
| Copying Provisions | Copyright restrictions apply. Only personal, non-commercial, research and study use permitted. Permission of copyright holder required for any commercial use and/or reproduction. |
During the coup of June 2000, Malaitan Eagle Force (MEF) guerrillas, positioned in a trench, ...
Description
During the coup of June 2000, Malaitan Eagle Force (MEF) guerrillas, positioned in a trench, defend Henderson Field, the former Second World War airfield which serves as Honiara's airport. The soldier's rifle is a Short Magazine Lee Enfield (SMLE) .030. At the time the photograph was taken, opposing Isatabu Freedom Movement (IFM) guerillas were only 300 metres away. They had fired bullets at the photographer's position a few seconds earlier. Ethnic tension escalated in Solomon Islands in the late 1990s. The IFM claimed indigenous rights to land on Guadalcanal. They resented what they perceived as increasing Malaitan dominance of the Solomon Islands government and of the island of Guadalcanal. On 5 June 2000 the Malaita Eagle Force (MEF) seized control of key installations in Honiara and took Prime Minister Bartholomew Ulufa'alu hostage, demanding his resignation. During the political unrest in Solomon Islands, a Commonwealth delegation led by Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer and New Zealand Foreign Minister Phil Goff, visited Honiara on 10-11 June 2000, to assist with peace negotiations between the Solomon Islands government and militant groups.