§ Ann ClwydTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will be raising the human rights situation in Aceh at this month's 57th session of the UN Human Rights Commission. [155034]
§ Mr. BattleI represented the UK for the first time at the 57th session in Geneva.
Indonesia is not subject to either a resolution or a Chairman's statement at the 57th session of the UN Commission on Human Rights. However, the European
422W>Union will deliver an omnibus country statement, which will include a full reference to the overall human rights situation in Indonesia, including Aceh.
§ Ann ClwydTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what steps he is taking to follow the human rights situation in Aceh, Indonesia; [155031]
(2) what steps he has taken to apprise the Indonesian Government of Her Majesty's Government's views on military operations in Aceh; [155028]
(3) what the results were of the visit by the British Ambassador to Aceh earlier this month, with regard to the human rights situation there; [155030]
(4) what steps he has taken to press the Indonesian authorities to continue with the policy of dialogue to halt violence in Aceh; [155029]
(5) what reports he has received recently about the human rights situation in Aceh, Indonesia. [155032]
§ Mr. BattleOur message on Aceh with the Indonesian Government has been consistently clear: a long-term solution to Aceh's problems can be achieved only through political negotiation and consultation with the Acehnese. We have taken action with the Indonesian leadership, most recently on 19 March, to reinforce the message that political negotiation should be the first resort and that the security forces should operate within the law and with strict regard to human rights; if they do not, they should be punished. The British Ambassador gave the same message to his interlocutors in Aceh during his visit to the province earlier this month.
We remain in close touch with the Indonesian Government at the highest level; they are fully aware of our concern about the overall human rights situation in Indonesia, not just in Aceh.
§ Ann ClwydTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he has taken to press the Indonesian authorities to investigate the deaths on 6 December of three humanitarian volunteers working for Rehabilitation Action for Torture Victims in Aceh, RATA. [155033]
§ Mr. BattleI met Foreign Minister Shihab in the margins of the EU-ASEAN Foreign Ministers meeting in Vientiane in December 2000 and personally requested an immediate investigation into the murders. On 20 December EU Ambassadors in Jakarta called on Co-ordinating Minister Yudhoyono to maintain EU pressure. He reported that a criminal investigation team had been established and sent to Aceh. During the British Ambassador's visit to Aceh earlier this month, he raised the case with the Chief of Police and the Deputy Chief of Police. They assured him that suspects had been arrested and prosecutions were being prepared.