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Early day motion tabled by primary sponsor Alan Simpson (Labour), on Wednesday, 14 February 1996, in the House of Commons. It is signed by 56 members in total.

EXPORT OF ARMS TO INDONESIA

That this House deplores the continuing oppression of the people of East Timor by the Government of Indonesia; recalls that one-third of the people of East Timor have been killed in the twenty years since its illegal annexation; is appalled at the fact that the United Kingdom Government has sanctioned the sale of British Aerospace Hawk aircraft to the Indonesian Government despite the fact that such aircraft have been used to attack the people of East Timor; and demands that the delivery of Hawk jets and other weapons to Indonesia be cancelled until a full enquiry on the lines of that conducted by Lord Justice Scott into the Arms to Iraq affair has investigated the role of the British Government in allowing such sales.

Amendments

The Early day motion has received an amendment.

EXPORT OF ARMS TO INDONESIA (436A1)
The Early day motion has received an amendment sponsored by Patrick Nicholls (primary, Conservative) and tabled on Monday, 26 February 1996. It has been signed by 7 members in total.
leave out from `House' to end and add `notes the considerable investment over the last 20 years by the government of Indonesia in East Timor; notes further that after the incident at Dili a Commission of Enquiry was set up by the Government of Indonesia after which a number of soldiers were disciplined and a Standing Commission for Human Rights set up; notes the continuing use of mortality figures in East Timor that are wholly unsubstantiated; notes further that the contract to supply Hawk Trainers was signed by the last Labour Government only three years after the occupation of East Timor, following its abandonment by Portugal; further notes that the performance of the Hawk jet contract complies fully with international law and that no evidence, despite constant accusations, has ever been produced that these aircraft are being used for internal repression; notes further that many thousands of British jobs are involved in trade with Indonesia; further notes the substantial and successful efforts made by the government of Indonesia to improve its record on human rig hts; and deplores the constant unjustified denigration and misrepresentation of the actions of a friendly country which ill serves the people of both Indonesia and Great Britain alike.'.

Secondary information

Type
Early day motion
Reference
436 
436A1 
Session
1995-96
Subjects
Arms trade Indonesia Timor-Leste
Link
View this Early day motion on www.parliament.uk