Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2000-01-20-Speech-4-159"
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"en.20000120.10.4-159"2
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"Mr President, it is, in fact, the third time within the space of six months that we have had to draw the Commission’s attention to the situation in the Moluccas. We are dissatisfied with the very restricted way in which the Commission has reacted to the resolutions so far.
The violence in the Moluccas erupted as long ago as last year. Initially, it was dwarfed by the events in East Timor, but that does not make the situation in the Moluccas less serious. In October, hundreds of people were killed. Meanwhile, three months later, there are reports of thousands of killings and many more people wounded and becoming refugees.
The causes are wide-ranging, of course. The area has been economically disadvantaged under the Suharto regime and this regime is also partly responsible for the country’s questionable migration policy. What is more serious, however, is the fact that there are now agitators, like on East Timor, who are setting groups of the population against each other, while the army is playing a questionable role, unfortunately. The latter was confirmed, in fact, in an interview with President Wahid last night on Dutch TV, in which he stated that the army’s behaviour in this conflict is also reprehensible.
Our resolution’s criticism is emphatically not aimed at the new government in Indonesia, which is making a genuine effort to restore democracy and address the human rights violations. It seems that evil in Indonesia is mainly to be found in the form of aggressive Muslim organisations and agitators in sections of the army.
What can the European Union do? To start with, it could give a warning sign, much like that given by Mr Holbrooke, that a coup d’état by the army in Indonesia will not be tolerated.
Secondly, an independent committee of inquiry could be set up and sent to Indonesia, preferably with a UN mandate, to establish what has happened in the past couple of months. At the same time, a conciliation committee could be sent to the area to reconcile Muslims and Christians.
President Wahid has already made this request and also put a name forward. It would be a good idea if the European Union were to support such an initiative. Of course, a great deal more aid is required than is given at present.
Finally, I would like to point out that the arms embargo must be extended. There is every reason to do so as long as the role of the army is so questionable.
I would like to note that the conflict and violence in the Moluccas have been going on for too long. The Netherlands has a large Moluccan community. It is a European community and for this reason, the European Union cannot ignore the problems of the Moluccas. We would urge both the Council and the Commission to be more decisive than they have been so far."@en1
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