An Australian navy command ship will sail for the lawless Solomon Islands on Monday as the advance guard of a multinational intervention force, Australia said today.
HMAS Manoorawill leave the northern Australian city of Townsville on Monday for the Solomons capital of Honiara, the defence ministery said. Honiara is 1,750 kilometres northwest of Townsville.
The vessel will act as a command and logistics centre for the force and will also provide medical services.
The 2,000-strong force of police, troops and civilian administrators, the largest military deployment in the South Pacific since World War Two, has been unanimously backed by the Solomons parliament and has widespread support among the nation of 450,000 people.
Hundreds of people have died in fighting between rival ethnic militias from Guadalcanal island and neighbouring Malaita since 1998 and the country has descended towards anarchy and bankruptcy since a police-backed coup in June 2000.
Local media reported the government of Prime Allan Kemakeza and police commissioner Mr William Morrell had begun a public-education programme to inform Solomon Islanders about the intervention force.