Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) Friday "foreign powers" were to blame for days of unrest in the South Pacific nation.
Why it matters: His government's decision to change alliances from Taiwan to China sparked a wave of anger and massive protests and riots in the capital, Honiara, this week — which resulted in Sogavare declaring a lockdown and calling in Australian police, who swept in to take control of the city Friday, per Reuters.
- Honiara's Chinatown became a target of looters and rioters, with buildings burned down in the area and in the downtown precinct, AP reports.
What they're saying: Sogavare told the ABC that unspecified foreign powers had fed protesters "false and deliberate lies about the switch" to Beijing.
Yes, but: Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne said in a separate interview with the ABC that there was no indication "at all" of foreign interference.
The other side: Critics say the unrest is the result of a "lack of government services and accountability, corruption and Chinese businesses giving jobs to foreigners instead of locals," according to AP.
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