The meeting noted a decline in law and order around the capital, Honiara, and backed a call by the Commonwealth police group chief , Mr Savenaca Tuivaga of Fiji, that the strength of the group be increased to 50 and that some senior ranks of the Solomons police be filled by police from neighbouring Pacific counties who would train local officers. This, however, will be on the condition that militant groups agree to surrender all arms. The conference, which ended on Friday, was attended by two of the three main parties directly related to the ethnic conflict - the Solomon Islands government and the Guadalcanal provincial government. The Malaitan provincial government did not attend after warnings from the Malaita Eagle Force. A savage postscript to the meeting came early on Saturday morning in Honiara when a headless torso was found at Honiara's central market.
Police believe the killing was related to the ethnic tension.
A note next to the body implied that the next victim would be the Premier of Guadalcanal, Mr Ezekiel Alebua. This material is subject to copyright and any unauthorised use, copying or mirroring is prohibited.