§ Angus RobertsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many United Kingdom citizens were affected by the flash floods in the Gunung Leuser national park on Sumatra Island, Indonesia on 3 November; how many United Kingdom citizens have been identified as(a) missing, (b) injured and (c) killed; what assistance the Government has offered the Government of Indonesia in their search and rescue operations; and if he will make a statement. [137293]
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§ Mr. MullinThere are no reports of any British Nationals missing, injured or killed following the floods in the Gunung Leuser national park in Northern Sumatra. Our Consul-General went to Medan from 4 to 6 November and together with the Honorary Consul, visited the site, and checked with police, hospitals and mortuaries. We remain in close contact with the local authorities. Our Rapid Deployment Team was put on standby to help but was not, in the end, required.
The Indonesian Government has announced an assistance package of 1 billion Indonesian Rupiahs (£70,420) for reconstruction and relocation of displaced people. They have not sought any international assistance.
§ Angus RobertsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of the impact the imposition of martial law in Aceh on 15 May has had on(a) civil rights and (b) media freedom in the area; when this was raised with (i) the head of the Aceh Martial Law Administration, (ii) President Megawati Sukarnoputri and (iii) representatives of the Government of Indonesia; what assurances were (A) requested and (B) received; and if he will make a statement. [137709]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienWe remain concerned about the situation in Aceh. Most recently, I met the Indonesian ambassador on Monday 10 November and raised our concerns about the extension of martial law, and the Indonesian Government's recent decision not to allow the Tokyo Group (EU, Japan, US and the World Bank) to visit Aceh. Our ambassador to Indonesia wrote to the Indonesian Government in August 2003 requesting that NGOs be granted permission to return to Aceh. When I visited Indonesia on 3–4 June 2003, I stressed to President Megawati 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 Indonesian Central Government. Some media have recently been granted permission to gain access to Aceh to report on the situation there. NGOs have not yet been granted permission to return to Aceh.
We, with our EU partners, urged the Indonesian Government to protect non-combatants in the on-going operations in Aceh, and to pursue a peaceful negotiated solution to the conflict. We remain convinced that a long-term solution to the Aceh problem can be achieved only through political negotiation and consultation between the Indonesian Government and the Acehenese people.
§ Angus RobertsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with(a) President Megawati Sukarnoputri, (b) representatives of the Government of Indonesia, (c) UK-based non-governmental organisations and (d) local non-governmental organisations concerning the extension of the state of martial law in Aceh; and if he will make a statement. [137710]
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§ Mr. Mike O'BrienOn 6 November the Tokyo Group (EU, Japan, United States and the World Bank), which co-chaired the preparatory Conference on peace and reconstruction in Aceh, issued a statement to the Indonesian Government expressing their concern at the extension of martial law in Aceh. I met the Indonesian ambassador on Monday 10 November and also reiterated our, and the international community's, concerns about the extension of martial law. The UK continues to work through NGOs and the UN to provide assistance to the people of Aceh.
We with our EU partners, continue to urge the Indonesian Government to return to the negotiating table as soon as possible, as only political negotiation will offer a long term solution to this ongoing conflict. We stand ready to assist both sides in this process wherever appropriate.