3 October 2000
M Hubert Vedrine
Foreign Minister
French Ministry of Foreign Affairs
37 Quai d'Orsay, F-75351 Paris, France

Dear M Vedrine,

We are writing in support of a statement delivered to you as a representative of the French Presidency of the EU, on 18 September 2000, when fifteen European NGOs asked for the re-imposition of an Arms Embargo on Indonesia. The statement said:

'The grave developments in West Timor, triggered by the murder on 6 September of at least five people, including three UNHCR workers, has created an extreme emergency in the territory.

We welcome the European Union Declaration on 7 September condemning these murders and deploring the current state of insecurity in West Timor, but we concur with the statement by UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Sadako Ogata, that 'words are no longer enough'.

Decisive international action is needed urgently.  This must include the immediate imposition by the EU of military sanctions against Indonesia.'

It further drew attention to the involvement of the Indonesian military in West Papua,
the Molucas and in Aceh in a way that fosters conflict and undermines the authority of
President Wahid's government. This is especially regrettable as all Papuan leaders, including the Free Papua Movement (OPM), on one side and the Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid on the other have been seeking a solution to the issue of Papuan self-determination through peaceful dialogue. Thousands of non-organic extra troops are now being sent to West Papua to quell the independence movement and militia activity has increased with the support of the military. On the 29th of September 650 troops, including special forces personnel, from Salawesi arrived to be deployed on the PNG border, allegedly on educational duties.

Papuans have been shot dead for raising the West Papua flag, an activity not prohibited
by Indonesian law. Peaceful protesters were shot, arrested, beaten or tortured by the
police in Nabire and Wamena during flag-raising ceremonies and one particularly serious
incident in Sorong caused Amnesty International to issue an Urgent Action in August (UA
252/00). Recently, British-made Hawk aircraft have been flying over Papuan towns, especially during police operations, in intimidatory fashion.

A more recent Amnesty release (AI Index ASA 21/048/2000 - 27/09/2000) deplores the impunity of those in the military accused of human rights violations in West Papua and warns also of the increasing militia activity in West Papua:

'The Red and White Taskforce (Satgas Merah Putih, SMP), which supports Indonesian rule in Papua, is reported to have thousands of members. There are indications that it is supported by the Indonesian army and police.'

We urge you to press for the re-imposition of an EU ban on arms sales and all forms of
military co-operation with Indonesia without further delay.

Yours faithfully,


Nicholas Angelopoulos
Cambridge Campaign for Peace (CamPeace)
The Annex, 30 Mawson Road, Cambridge CB1 2EA, UK
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Cambridge Campaign for Peace (CamPeace)
West Papua subgroup
http://www.campeace.org/westpapua.html