Written question asked by John Barrett (Liberal Democrat) on Thursday, 18 October 2001, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 25 October 2001. It was answered by Ben Bradshaw (Labour) on Thursday, 25 October 2001 on behalf of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent action the Government has taken to help Indonesian Christians and Muslims on the Maluka Islands. - Inc figure.

Answer: John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent action the Government have taken to help Indonesian Christians and Muslims on the Maluku Islands. [9657] Mr. Bradshaw: The Department for International Development (DfID) has pledged more than £4 million to help establish the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Conflict Prevention and Recovery Unit in Jakarta. The unit will build up capacity in conflict reduction and recovery in the provinces torn apart by ethnic conflict, particularly in north Maluku. We will continue to work with the Indonesian authorities and UNDP to promote reconciliation, begin wider reconstruction work and to offer practical assistance where appropriate. The British Government have repeatedly encouraged the Indonesian Government bilaterally and through multilateral forums to bring to justice religious extremists responsible for human rights abuses in Maluku. I most recently raised these issues with the Indonesian Vice President, Hamzah Haz, when we met in Jakarta in August.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 9657; 373 c314W
Session: 2001-02
Subjects: Armed conflict Development aid Human rights Ethnic groups Politics and government Religious freedom Civil disorder Maluku Islands Islam Indonesia Christianity
Contains statistics: Yes
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk