§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many internal armed conflicts there are in Indonesia; what the origins were of each conflict and how long each has involved the use of armed force; and what steps he has taken to press the Indonesian Government to provide for civilian oversight and accountability of the security forces. [88307]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienThere are a number of areas in Indonesia where the levels of violence give us cause for concern. These include Maluku, Sulawesi, West Papua and notably Aceh, where we welcome the recent agreement between GAM and the Government of Indonesia to end 26 years of conflict in that Province.
The origins of such conflicts vary and are complex: some are inter-ethnic or inter-religious while others may have economic causes. Our message to the Indonesian Government is clear and consistent: long-term stability can be achieved only through political negotiation and consultation with the people. Together with our European partners we are in regular, top-level dialogue with the Indonesian Government, and urge them to maintain law and order and promote reconciliation in order to ensure the territorial integrity of Indonesia.
We are implementing a strategy to tackle the causes of conflict; supporting reconstruction and reconciliation in troubled provinces such as Maluku, Aceh and Papua; and working with EU and other partners to help Indonesia build capacity to analyse and respond effectively to outbreaks of violence.