§ Mr. ChaytorTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the UK contribution to the work of the United Nations Development Programme in respect of the international humanitarian response to the conflict in Maluku.[8234]
§ Mr. BradshawThe Department for International Development (DFID) has pledged more than £4 million to help establish the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) conflict prevention and recovery unit in Jakarta. The unit will build up capacity in conflict reduction and recovery in the provinces torn apart by ethnic conflict, particularly in north Maluku. These new initiatives will complement DFID-supported humanitarian relief programmes by addressing the causes underlying conflict—abuse of power, alienation and loss of access to and control of resources essential for every day life. We will continue to work with the Indonesian authorities and UNDP to promote reconciliation, begin wider reconstruction work and to offer practical assistance where appropriate.
The UK's message to the Indonesian Government has been consistently clear: a long-term solution to regional conflicts can only be achieved through political negotiation and consultation with the people.