East Timor (Hansard, 12 July 1999)

§ The Parliamentary Under-secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean)
My Lords, Her Majesty's Government have been at the forefront of UN work on East Timor. At the United Nations Security Council, we piloted two resolutions in support of the UN supervised consultation (Nos. 1236 and 1246). Those resolutions take note of recent violence in East Timor and commit the Indonesian Government to maintaining peace and security in the territory. The consultation date has now slipped by two weeks because of the security situation. The Secretary-General is keeping the situation under review.

§ Lord Avebury
My Lords, I thank the Government for all that they have done to secure peaceful consultation. However, have they noted the letter from the Secretary-General to the Security Council postponing registration until Friday, so as to give time for what he describes as concrete steps to secure the conditions for a free and fair election? Has the Minister also noted that today, General Wiranto, the armed forces commander, is in Dili, accompanied by the Foreign Minister, Ali Alatas, and former armed forces commander, Feisal Tanjung? Presumably they are there to ensure that the local armed forces commander, Tono Suratman, calls the militias off and makes it possible for peaceful consultation to be held. Are there any further steps that we can take to persuade the Indonesian authorities that they should seize this last chance?

§ Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean
Yes, my Lords, Her Majesty's Government have noted those activities. The UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, is due to decide by Friday whether it is safe enough for voter registration to go ahead on the somewhat delayed timetable that I indicated is now necessary because of the security situation. As the noble Lord says, not only Mr Alatas but at least 15 Ministers from the Indonesian Cabinet are making a one-day visit today to East Timor. They are talking to local leaders and to United Nations 5 people on the ground in an attempt to establish exactly what is happening. We very much welcome that visit. We believe that it is an indication of good intentions and an earnest of what they are hoping to do to calm the situation in order to allow the consultative process to go ahead. We shall, of course, be keeping a firm eye on the situation. My honourable friend Mr Hoon was in Washington and New York only last week discussing this matter.

§ Lord Moynihan
My Lords, pursuant to the previous question, what efforts have been made to address the problem of the tens of thousands of displaced people in East Timor—estimated to be at least 60,000—which clearly poses a serious obstacle to registration for next month's vote and is creating a serious humanitarian problem? Do the Government believe that in those circumstances it is realistic to hold free and fair elections in August?

§ Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean
My Lords, we are very concerned about the large number of IDPs in East Timor. This is a matter that the United Nations mission on the ground is tackling. We have given support to UNAMET which is headed by a British UN official, Mr Ian Martin. We have contributed 1 million dollars to the UN trust fund for East Timor. The EU has contributed 7 million dollars to that fund. We are doing what we can to support the authorities on the ground; particularly the United Nations which is responsible for IDPs in that area.

§ Baroness Williams of Crosby
My Lords, the Minister will be aware that only yesterday the Prime Minister of Portugal, Mr António Guterres, said he believed that the conditions for the proper conduct of a referendum did not currently exist. Can the Minister say what evidence she has that the Government of Indonesia are making a real attempt to control the armed militia who have attacked not only members of the East Timor Independence Movement but, more recently, members of the UNAMET mission itself? Can the Minister give any assurance that the Indonesian Government are aware of the seriousness of allowing these militia to continue such action?

§ Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean
My Lords, I believe that we can because the evidence is that half the Indonesian cabinet has gone to East Timor only today. That has been a very swift reaction. A number of attacks by paramilitaries, three of which have taken place in the past few weeks, have caused a good deal of anxiety. My honourable friend Mr Hoon has called in the Indonesian Ambassador and my right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary has written to the Indonesian Government. Last week Mr Hoon was in Washington and New York to discuss these matters. The Foreign Minister, Mr Alatas, who heads the team that has gone to East Timor, said today that everybody agrees that the security situation is continually improving and that preparations for the ballot have been going well. I believe that the Indonesian Government are doing what they can. A number of Ministers are in 6 East Timor. We must not take things for granted but must monitor the situation closely, as we are, both bilaterally and through the United Nations.

§ Lord Avebury
My Lords, the Indonesian Government may be doing all they can, but does not responsibility for the violence and intimidation, and condoning it, rest on the shoulders of the army commanders, Tono Suratman and General Adam Damiri? Is not the best thing that the high-level delegation can do to restore the confidence of the people of East Timor to dismiss the commanders under whom this reign of terror has occurred?

§ Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean
My Lords, very often in some countries there is not necessarily the synergy between the military and political that we have come to expect. This is a matter for the Indonesian authorities who lead their armed forces. I hope that I have been able to demonstrate to your Lordships today that not only is the United Nations on the ground taking these matters very seriously but the fact that half the cabinet has gone to East Timor today to hold discussions with the UN and local civilian leaders demonstrates the urgency with which that Government are addressing the issue.