Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, when the Commission issued its communication on relations between Indonesia and the European Union a year ago, Indonesia seemed to be on the way to a true democracy under the Wahid government, which had newly taken office. A year on, the picture looks far less optimistic. The road to democracy, to respect for human rights, to a sound administrative and legal system, to the eradication of corruption, seems to be a long road beset with obstacles. Here is a great deal of opposition to the Wahid government and the process appears to have come to a standstill. This opposition to the democratically elected government comes from various quarters, from military circles, from the supporters of the corrupt Suharto regime, from groups of fanatical Muslims, and from armed militia circles. The President is also still under fire over the Bulog and Brunei affair. However, it is important that the Vice-President and the President of Parliament have declared their loyalty to the President. The problem the government is struggling with is seen most clearly in the regions that were used as migration destinations owing to over-population, and that were also misused as conquered land. Worst of all is the situation in Irian Jaya and the Moluccas. It is incomprehensible, in this respect, that the Laskar Jihad was given the chance this spring to go to the Moluccas in their thousands, in order to stoke up the conflicts there again. This has left the Moluccas with thousands of dead and several hundred thousands of refugees. People are very afraid at present – and that includes the 50 000 Moluccan citizens in the Netherlands – that the situation will escalate further around Christmas. We have received reports to the effect that the Laskar Jihad is preparing to launch a new offensive, in West-Irian among other places, but also in small countries such as Gorom and Lusalaut. People are being killed because they are Christians. People are being locked up in churches and forced to convert to Islam. There are even reports that the Laskar Jihad has banned all Christian church bells from ringing at Christmas. What we are seeing is religious terror. As rapporteur I find that intolerable and I would therefore ask the Commissioner what the European Union can do with respect to the Wahid government in order to prevent further bloodshed. Then there is Irian Jaya. The violence is escalating there too. More people died this weekend. Last week, hundreds of students were picked up and four of them were returned to their parents as corpses. There are still some Papuan leaders under lock and key too. We expressly wanted to respect the territorial integrity of Indonesia in our resolution, but surely that cannot mean the people of Irian Jaya having to renounce their own culture and identity? That sort of violence only stirs up feelings of hatred. I would like to lend my voice to the warning issued by the United States government to the effect that the violence must stop. The EU ought to take the same line. Peace is very far from being restored in Timor and Aceh. In Timor, the militias block the return of the refugees and relief workers are besieged. And the murder of the Dutch journalist Thoenes has not been investigated yet. Three more relief workers died in Aceh last week and fifteen died at the beginning of December. Mr President, these regional problems are the worst in Indonesia at the moment. As such, the plans to give these regions more autonomy are to be welcomed, as are the undertakings to leave more revenue from raw materials to the regions. As far as the overall approach in Indonesia is concerned, things are in fact heading in the right direction. But it is precisely these problems in the regions that are still very much apparent. What can the role of the European Union be? Indonesia is one of the most important countries in the ASEAN area. It is important for the whole area for Indonesia to be a stable, democratic constitutional state with good relations within and outside ASEAN. The European Union must support the democratic and socio-economic developments, but not unquestioningly. We must attach conditions to our aid and support. We must see signs of progress in the democratisation process, the human rights situation must improve, the violators of human rights must be tried, corruption must be tackled and the power of the army must be further reduced. Should this fail to happen then aid will have to be suspended if necessary. There should also be far more coordination of aid at European level. The EU embassy in Jakarta could assume a coordinating role. We also ask the European Commission to follow this policy line in our resolution. Lastly, with all due respect for the sovereignty of Indonesia, if violence erupts again in the Moluccas and on Irian Jaya around Christmas, then international action should not be ruled out in our view. I have in mind sending UN observers to the crisis areas, where action is urgently needed, but also humanitarian relief action if necessary. The murder really must stop. Certainly that committed by army units, militias and militant Muslims. Otherwise, what is the difference between the Wahid government and the old Suharto regime? We are very concerned and expect the European Commission to respond to these developments.

Political group: PPE-DE