Three years of ethnic turmoil appear to have been turned around by three months of policing by neighboring nations, principally Australia but including New Zealand, Fiji and Papua New Guinea. The public overwhelmingly supports this action and life has returned to a peaceful norm both in Honiara, the capital, and throughout most rural areas. Most illegal weapons have been rounded up and many militant leaders have been arrested. Restoring the economy and government institutions will take longer, but companies are already reinvesting.
