MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION
17 November 2003
pursuant to Rule 50 of the Rules of Procedure
by Ole Andreasen
on behalf of the ELDR Group
on Indonesia/Aceh
B5-0497/2003
European parliament resolution on Indonesia/Aceh
The European parliament,
- Having regard to its previous resolutions on Indonesia;
A. Whereas the Indonesian Government has extended martial law in the province of Aceh for further six months;
B. Whereas the campaign began on 19 May 2003 after a 5 month truce collapsed;
C. Whereas the Indonesian Government admitted failing to meet an initial six months deadline for suppressing separatist rebels from the Free Aceh Movement (GAM);
D. Deeply concerned by the fact that hundreds of combatants and civilians have died since the crackdown was launched in May;
E. Whereas the military has claimed it has killed or captured nearly 2000 GAM rebels, and that around 60 police and military personnel have died since the offensive began;
F. Whereas the military and human rights NGOs have declared that 3003 civilians have also been killed;
G. Whereas there has been fighting in the region since 1976;
1. Calls on the Indonesian to end the offensive and resume talks with the Free Aceh Movement;
2. Strongly believes that continued fighting is unnecessary and will only result in increased civilian and military casualties, internal displacement and widespread destruction of livelihoods and property;
3. Calls on the EU Presidency and all the ASEAN countries to invite the Indonesian government to resume talks with the Free Aceh Movement in order to promote peace and the reconstruction of the region;
4. Calls on the Council and the Commission to assist Indonesia in order to resume talks with the GAM;
5. Calls on the Commission to envisage the possibility of launching with Indonesia a programme aiming to rebuild the civil society in Aceh;
6. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council and the Commission, the government of Indonesia, the ASEAN countries and the Secretary General of the UN.