In April 2023, the World Youth Alliance team had the privilege to meet Celsus Talifilu and Daniel Suidani, public officials from the Solomon Islands, during their last visit to the United States. Both men are on the frontlines of defending democracy in the Solomon Islands, fighting against the growing influence of the Chinese Communist Party. Defying demands to bow to the Chinese Communist Party pressures in their country, all attempts to silence them have failed. Today, they were arrested.
In October of 2021, a vote of no confidence aimed at Malaita Province Premier Daniel Suidani, who had stood firmly against the central government’s alignment with Beijing, failed, due to the courage and solidarity of the Malaitan people in his province. Thousands took to the streets in peaceful protest, standing up for democracy, and risking everything to prevent the overthrow of their democratically elected Premier. Premier Suidani was an outspoken critic of the central government’s decision in 2019 to switch diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to China, and he has consistently warned that the Solomon Islands’ shift toward Beijing risks turning the country into a more authoritarian, oppressive state. As proof of his concerns, he was ousted over the protests of his constituents in February of 2023 and replaced by a loyalist to the Beijing-backed Prime Minister Sogavare and illegally disqualified from his seat in the Malaita Provincial Assembly in April of 2023.
Celsus Talifilu, formerly Premier Suidani’s Chief of Staff, ran for elected office as an MP during the elections of April, 2024. He has now launched a suit to contest the results of the election. The legal challenges of both former Premier Suidani, and Clesus Talifilu, are currently moving through the court system. Celsus Talifilu’s legal challenge to the April 2024 election outcome in his district was recently given leave to proceed. Daniel Suidani’s challenge to his disqualification from the previous provincial parliament (on grounds that he refused to accept China’s definition of the One China Policy) is also currently in the courts. Now both of them are also being charged with organizing unlawful assemblies and protests in Auki in 2021 (the peaceful and spontaneous protests led by their own constituents).
Mr. Talifilu was an invited speaker to WYA’s 2024 International Solidarity Forum, on the topic of “Human Dignity and Totalitarian Ideologies”. We invited him to talk about his opposition to encroaching totalitarian influences in his home country at that time. Unfortunately, the conference conflicted with the critical national general elections where he was running for a seat in Parliament.
We see their arrest as a clear attempt to silence them and discredit their political positions through an abuse of the Solomon Islands justice system. Their arrests, even as both have cases proceeding through the courts, casts a deepening shadow on the erosion of the rule of law in the Solomons. Their courage in fighting for their people against the Chinese Communist Party’s increasing influence in their country is nothing short of inspiring.
The World Youth Alliance stands in solidarity with Mr Talifilu and Mr. Suidani. The people of Malaita Province have shown their solidarity and appreciation for the men they have legitimately elected. Mr. Talifilu and Mr Suidani are risking everything to stand with, and for, their people in the fight for freedom and democracy in the Solomons. We support Mr. Talifilu and Mr. Suidani as they face this next challenge, even as they prepare to defend themselves in court. We recognize their great courage and we hope that, in the face of the force and coercion of the Chinese Communist Party, justice and truth will prevail.