News from the GREEN PARTY


TOP GREENS IN ACEH PROTEST

Foreign Office, Whitehall, 1200-1400 Friday 23 May

"Blair has been complicit in Indonesia's state terrorism before, and he's taking no action now. We should remember this next time he claims humanitarian motives for war"


Human rights activists are preparing a demonstration at the UK Foreign Office today over Indonesia's military offensive in Aceh - and the Green Party has criticised Tony Blair's "moral inconsistency" in his dealings with
oppressive regimes.

The Green Party will be represented at the demonstration by its Executive Policy Coordinator, Danny Bates, who is also secretary of TAPOL, the Indonesia human rights organisation, and Principal Speaker Margaret Wright.
Margaret Wright commented this morning:

"A few years ago Indonesia used British weapons to terrorise the people of East Timor - now the same thing is happening in Aceh.

"When the Blair government came to power it chose to ignore calls made by human rights organisations to revoke the licences for these weapons.
Instead, it chose to accept reassurances from Indonesia. Events proved the human rights organisations to be correct."

She added: "In failing to act, the British Government, to its shame, will be complicit in the widespread violations of human rights likely to occur in Aceh. Indeed they have already begun. (Indonesian forces have been accused
of killing 18 people on Monday - including the shooting of two 12-year olds at point blank range - as part of a series of raids on villages in Aceh.

"This outrageous situation shows that the Blair government continues to put profit from military sales before any concern for human life or human rights."

Notes:

1. TAPOL, the Indonesia human rights organisation and joint organiser (with Campaign Against the Arms Trade) of today's demonstration, says Aceh could become another East Timor. Around 50,000 Indonesian troops will be involved in the offensive, as will some of Indonesia's most high-tech military equipment, including British-made Scorpion tanks and Hawk jets.
See  http://tapol.gn.apc.org/pr030519.htm or
 http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,3604,959492,00.html .

2. TAPOL expects the military operations will result in massive violations of human rights and widespread loss of life, with the majority of victims likely to be civilians. Human rights activists in particular are said to be at grave risk. TAPOL says many of the Indonesian troops will be deployed in support of US oil-giant Exxon Mobil, which has been associated with numerous rights violations in the past.

3. TAPOL predicts that the war will cost impoverished Indonesia tens of millions of dollars and will mean that Aceh will forfeit millions of dollars in development aid promised by an international donors' conference last
December.

4. Aceh, on the northwestern tip of the island of Sumatra, has for over a quarter of a century been an area of intense conflict between the Indonesian armed forces, TNI, and the Free Aceh Movement, GAM, which is pressing for independence from Indonesia. According to TAPOL the conflict has cost around 15,000 lives. A peace process mediated by the Geneva-based Henri Dunant Centre has been destroyed by the Government's declaration of martial law and its military offensive.

5. Jeremy Corbyn MP put down the following Early Day Motion, EDM 1161 on 8 May 2003:

SITUATION IN ACEH 08.05.03
That this House is alarmed at reports of new troop deployment in Aceh by Indonesian forces; understands from published reports that over 2,500 troops supported by aircraft, tanks and amphibians are preparing for a new round of action; requests that the Foreign Secretary make immediate representations to the Indonesian Government to halt the military action, re-state the peace process and allow international observers to visit Aceh; and is further
concerned that, despite previous assurances, UK military equipment is being prepared for use in these intended military operations by the Indonesian Government.

Further information, interviews:

Green Party press office 020 7561 0282

ENDS


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