HC Deb 27 June 2000 vol 352 cc444-5W
Mr. Hancock

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received from HM diplomatic posts in Indonesia on the human rights situation in the Moluccas. [127237]

Mr. Battle

We receive regular reports from the Embassy in Jakarta on the worrying developments in Maluku. We deplore the loss of all life resulting from the violence, in particular the escalating violence in recent days with over 100 people killed and over 200 injured. This represents a major threat to stability. We are playing a key role in the EU and the UN in calling on the Indonesian Government to work on peaceful resolution to the violence. EU representatives called on the Indonesian Government on 12 June, to remind them of their responsibility to maintain law and order, and to request an investigation and immediate steps to bring the perpetrators to justice. As part of the international effort through the United Nations Development Programme we have already funded two conferences on reconciliation in Maluku. With our partners and international agencies we are actively looking at other ways of promoting reconciliation.