The Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands and democratic accountability

Abstract

Peace operations are notoriously difficult to manage. In pursuit of more easily managed operations, those who lead them often sacrifice accountability to the local population. Without democratic accountability, operations find it difficult to succeed. The Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI, 2003 - present), offers lessons in democratic accountability. In principle and in practice, it is important that peace operations display the hallmarks of the ideologies they seek to impress upon others. Not to be a bastion of democracy while professing its virtues is both hypocritical and self-defeating. Despite overwhelming local support for the mission, the Solomon Star, and reviews of RAMSI all reflect local concern about the mission's accountability. Australia's national security interests greatly influenced the geo-political context of RAMSI. Australian personnel and ways of working heavily dominate the mission. It creates the perception that RAMSI is more accountable to Australia than to Solomon Islanders. RAMSI provides some unique answers to longstanding dilemmas in the accountability of international peace operations - particularly regarding immunity - but there are significant areas for improvement. Those areas include local ownership; cultural appropriateness; complaint and oversight mechanisms; regional engagement; and issues at the nexus of development and security - particularly the root causes of the initial conflict.