§ Ian LucasTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what actions Her Majesty's Government are taking to support the peace deal agreed in the Molucca Islands of Indonesia in February; [55704]
(2) if he will make a statement on the situation in the Molucca Islands of Indonesia. [55705]
§ Mr. BradshawWe welcome the agreement brokered by the Indonesian Government between the warring factions in Maluku to end the fighting. However, this is only the first small step to reconcile the warring communities and start the process of reconstruction and repatriation. The British Government have consistently made clear their view that long-term solutions to regional conflicts in Indonesia can he achieved only through negotiation and consultation, and that extremists who550W break the law should be dealt with firmly to allow space for reconciliation efforts to take root. The arrest of Laskar Jihad leader, Ja'far Umar Thalib, for inciting the violence against the Christian village of Soya on 28 April was a positive step.
The UK, with our EU partners, has urged the Indonesian Government to build on this early, fragile, peace and implement in full their security and law enforcement obligations under the terms of the peace agreements. The 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.