WRITTEN QUESTION E-2545/01

by Graham Watson (ELDR) to the Commission

(19 September 2001)

Subject: Threat to Christian Community in Indonesia

Is the Commission aware of the plight of 28 000 internally displaced Christians in the town of Tentena in the Moluccas?

Will the EU bring pressure to bear on the Indonesian Government to use its forces to prevent violence against these people by Muslim Jihad fighters?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(24 October 2001)

The Commission assures the Honourable Member that it remains very concerned about the continuing human rights problems in the Moluccas, and indeed elsewhere in Indonesia, and is monitoring the situation in the archipelago closely and raising the problem actively within the framework of its relations with Indonesia. The Commission continues to encourage the Indonesian authorities to bring to justice those individuals responsible for these abuses. There is an important role for quiet diplomacy in this context including demarches at the highest level(1). It is encouraging that one of the first actions of Mrs Megawati Sukarnoputri, the new President of Indonesia, has been to acknowledge and apologise for the past human rights abuses by the Indonesian authorities.

Like the majority of the international community, the Commission considers that the conflict in the Moluccas is primarily an internal matter for Indonesia, and that it should be addressed first and foremost by the Indonesian government, and by civil society organisations, the religious communities and other institutions. A number of religious leaders have begun a process of social reconciliation.

The Commission continues to follow this question as closely as possible. While it has not been asked by the Indonesian government to provide an investigative team to report on the causes of the conflict, still the Commission has participated in two fact-finding missions (in late 2000 and early 2001) to the area. The population of the Moluccas is suffering very heavily from the present situation. While it is very difficult to assess the exact extent of violence in the Moluccas, as any verification of sources, however credible, is difficult, it is, unfortunately safe to assume that the losses of life, injuries and displacements are very grave. Since March 19994 600 000 has been spent in the Moluccas to alleviate the effects of these events(2).

(1) The Union has taken the opportunity of its political dialogue with Indonesia to voice its concerns, and has encouraged the Indonesian authorities to continue their efforts to restore security, prevent further violence and find solutions to regional disputes through dialogue rather than by force. Indonesia has been encouraged to do so by the Union Presidency statements of 28 November 2000 and 8 March 2001, reinforced by the formal Conclusions of the full General Affairs Council of 14/15 May 2001.

(2) From the outset of the conflict, only humanitarian assistance has been permitted from outside Indonesia. Since 1999, the European Community's Humanitarian Office (ECHO) has intervened in the Moluccas, in so far as the precarious security situation has permitted, to ease the humanitarian tragedy. Assistance has been provided through non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to the victims of the conflict, including internally displaced persons. Between March 1999 and July 20014 600 000 has been spent on these actions.