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Solomon Militants Cease Fire One Hour
Fighters from the two Solomon Islands militia groups briefly stopped fighting for one hour. It was a positive response to the Governor General John Ini Lapli who urged them to seek a peaceful end to country's ethnic crisis, according to the Australian Associated Press.
In a spontaneous reconciliation gesture, fighters from both sides put down their weapons and had a meeting at a frontline checkpoint near Alligator Creek, on the outskirts of the capital. AAP quoted a Malaitan Eagle Force MEF leader as saying that " After seeing them wave to us, we left our arms and walked toward their bunker.
"They sent militants to meet us ... we hugged each other and shook hands. Some of us shed tears. We felt love for each other."
"We agreed that peace must be immediately restored (and) that the government must give us amnesty to create a pathway to lasting peace," he said.
The two ethnic military groups have fought for 18 moths over land rights and it led to a coup by MEF on June 5.
When the meeting ended, the fighters took up their guns again and vowed not to disarm until a peace deal was reached.
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