WRITTEN QUESTION E-2813/00 by Graham Watson (ELDR) to the Council. The persecution of Christian people in the Moluccas, Indonesia.
Date: 2000-09-06
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Christian, EU aid, Islam, Moluccas, fact-finding mission, religious discrimination, the EU's international role

18.4.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 113 E/183

Chinese nationals should also be mentioned. As a follow-up of the meeting between the Chinese Prime
Minister and the Commission President, the Commission is now preparing a series of initiatives aimed at
preventing and combating illegal migration from China. These initiatives will be discussed with Member
States in view of the Community-Chinese summit in Beijing in October 2000.

The fight against organised crime in general and trafficking of human beings in particular is being
addressed in the framework of different regional initiatives such as the stability pact for South Eastern
Europe and the Adriatic initiative, based on the Ancona Declaration of 20 May 2000.

The stability pact has recently released a blueprint for development of asylum and migration systems for
South Eastern Europe which will be discussed at the next session of the working table III meeting in
Sophia on 4 and 5 October 2000.

The Commission is involved in the process of co-operation within the framework established by the
conference on development and security in the Adriatic and Ionian in Ancona on 19-20 May 2000. A
Commission representative took active part recently at the extraordinary meeting in Rome on 10 August
2000 organised by the Italian Ministry for Foreign Affairs within the framework of the Ancona declaration
process. At this meeting acknowledgement was given to the wide range of activities performed by Member
States and countries in the region and it was decided to set up a co-operation system between a network
of operational officials of Ancona declaration signatory countries. With the aid of all participants, this
process seems to be bearing fruit.

Concerning linking development co-operation with the performance on fight against crime in this area, it
is true that the principle of conditionality has its importance. This is especially true concerning the
implementation of the general framework agreement for peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina as well as the
approach of the stability pact for South Eastern Europe vis-(cid:224)-vis the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. It is
however often noted that conditionality is a tool that should only be used on a case by case basis where it
can be foreseen to be effective. For example, halting the support to reconstruction efforts in Albania would
scarcely improve the possibilities for the authorities there to perform.

(2001/C 113 E/194)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2813/00

by Graham Watson (ELDR) to the Council

(6 September 2000)

Subject: The persecution of Christian people in the Moluccas, Indonesia

Is the Council aware of a continuing campaign of intimidation, persecution and terror by the extremist
Jihad Muslim warriors against innocent Christian people in the Moluccas, Indonesia?

What pressure will the Council bring to bear to stop this senseless killing?

Reply

(16 November 2000)

The Council can inform the Honourable Member that the European Union has on a number of occasions,
notably via the Heads of Mission of the EU Member States represented in Jakarta, expressed to the
Indonesian authorities including the President and Vice-President of the Republic its grave concern at the
inter-community strife in the Moluccas, even though a measure of calm has recently been restored. The
Council has nevertheless requested free access for humanitarian organisations and plans to send a Union
mission to the Moluccas to assess the humanitarian situation there. The Community is planning a further
contribution in the form of humanitarian aid of approximately € 2 million for displaced people. The
Council can assure the Honourable Member that it will be keeping a close eye on any developments in the
situation in the Moluccas.