Subject: 'austraLasia' #386

SOLOMONS:CEASEFIRE TALKS ON

Ambrose Pereira sdb

HONIARA: 20th July -- Leaders of the Malaitan and Isatabu forces have gathered on the Australian navy supply ship, Tobruk, a short distance from the capital Honiara. They're considering a draft ceasefire agreement prepared by the Solomon Islands Government. It is the perquisite for Peace talks. These talks will carry on for three days. In Honiara, the situation is uneasy. The Central Hospital is low on essential medicines. It seems two wards have been closed. There is no petrol in the city and diesel is very low. Fuel is expected to come in on Saturday. Schools have just a quarter of their students. Water from the White river source to one side of the city has stopped. Wonder when it will be resumed.

A PNG national killed in the Solomons in an ambush in the Kakabona area has created quite a stir. The SI students in PNG were asked to move to Port Moresby as a precautionary measure.

Mr. Andrew Nori stated that he would not want any priest to attend the peace talks. He added that the Archbishops movements were considered as political and hence he was stopped.

Civilians have been asked to clear out from the Tenaru area. There seems to be a lot of destruction there. It has been increasingly difficult to move both East and West of Honiara.