§ Mr. MacleanTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received of the number of Christians murdered in the Eastern Islands of Indonesia in the last three months; and what related representations he has made to the Indonesian Government. [107505]
§ Mr. BattleThe situation is highly volatile and there are no reliable casualty figures. The Indonesian media have reported that over 1,000 Christians and Muslims have been killed in Maluku since the new year. These tragic deaths highlight the importance of the new Indonesian Government's efforts to secure peace and reconciliation in Maluku in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme—a process we fully support.
We intend to raise our concerns about Maluku with President Wahid during his visit to London on 1–2 February.