HC Deb 12 November 2003 vol 413 c311W
Angus Robertson

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment his Department has made of the impact the imposition of martial law in Aceh on 15 May has had on the work of aid workers; what representations he has made to the head of the Aceh Martial Law Administration, and when; and if he will make a statement. [137518]

Mr. Gareth Thomas

The imposition of martial law in Aceh on 15 May, and the subsequent increased restrictions on access for non-Indonesians, have severely impacted on the ability of aid workers to operate in Aceh. No international NGOs are currently working in Aceh, and the UN has only a very limited presence in the province. However most aid organisations have found ways of working through local partners.

The UK, through the Tokyo Group of donors in Jakarta (the United States, Japan, European Union and the World Bank), are encouraging a return to negotiations and a peaceful solution to the conflict in Aceh. The recent Tokyo Group statement calls for improved access for international agencies, NGOs and for the impact on the people of Aceh to be minimized. In addition to this, the British Ambassador to Indonesia wrote to the Indonesian Government in August 2003 requesting that NGOs be granted permission to return to Aceh, and my right hon. Friend the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, stressed to President Megawati in June 2003 that Indonesian military action in Aceh should be proportionate and in accordance with international standards on human rights. We have not approached the head of the Aceh Martial Law Administration as our concerns about the situation in Aceh are raised through the Indonesian Central Government.