Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/1999-12-16-Speech-4-124"

Predicate	Value (sorted: default)
rdf:type	lpv_eu:Speech2
dcterms:Date	"1999-12-16"^^xsd:date2
dcterms:Is Part Of	lp_eu:Indonesia2
dcterms:Language	"en"^^xsd:language2
lpv:document identification number	"en.19991216.5.4-124"2
lpv:hasSubsequent	lp_eu:1999-12-16-Speech-4-1252
lpv:speaker	lp:Gary Titley2
lpv:spoken text	". – I would like to begin on a positive note. I think we should recognise that there is now a new democratically-elected government in Indonesia and that, for the first time in 40 years, there is now a civilian defence minister. Therefore, we should, as the international community, be seeking to support that democratic government in Indonesia. However, in the same week as we gave Mr Gusmão the Sakharov Prize, we must be careful not to drop our guard too far. We must consider that although there is a civilian defence minister in Indonesia, the defence ministry is still heavily militarised. Clearly we would want to see greater democratisation of the defence ministry in Indonesia. We must also recognise that there is still considerable abuse by the armed forces against those who wish to express a desire for autonomy in parts of Indonesia. Clearly while that persecution is going on by the Indonesian military we would not also be wanting to support that or give any message of support. We also know that in West Timor, the Indonesian military have not disarmed or disbanded the militias yet. They are still terrorising something like 200 000 East Timorese refugees who are trapped in West Timor. They are obstructing UN efforts in order to repatriate these people to East Timor. We want to see those militias disarmed and disbanded as soon as possible. We also know that the Indonesian military are opposed to cooperating with the UN International Commission of Inquiry set up to investigate crimes against humanity in East Timor. We want to see the Indonesian military cooperate fully with UN investigations. For that reason the EU should be extending its four-month old arms embargo on arms sales to Indonesia because if we were to lift that arms embargo the signal we would give to the military is very clearly that they are acceptable and have been rehabilitated, whereas, as I have just outlined, that is far from being the case. I recognise there is a strong argument for saying that if we do not provide arms to Indonesia they will go elsewhere to buy them, to China or to Russia, for example. Nonetheless, it is important for us to make a clear statement that we want to see reform of the Indonesia military. We want to see greater civilian and democratic control and we want to see greater respect for human rights in Indonesia. That has not yet happened and now is not the time to lift the arms embargo."@en1
lpv:spokenAs	substitute; Committee on Development and Cooperation (1999-07-22--2000-02-15)3 substitute; Delegation to the EU-Slovenia Joint Parliamentary Committee (1999-10-08--2002-01-14)3 unknown; Labour Party (1999-07-20--2004-07-19)3 member; Committee on Foreign Affairs, Human Rights, Common Security and Defence Policy (1999-07-21--2002-01-14)3 member; Conference of Delegation Chairs (1999-07-22--2002-01-14)3 chair; Delegation to the EU-Lithuania Joint Parliamentary Committee (1999-07-22--2002-01-14)3 member; PES (1999-07-20--2003-05-20)3
lpv:unclassifiedMetadata	"Titley (PSE )"1

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