Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 30 Jan 2002

Vol. 547 No. 1

Written Answers. - Human Rights Abuses.

Jim O'Keeffe

Ceist:

163 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the views of the Government to the murder of a person (details supplied); and the steps which have been taken in relation to Indonesia, arising from the killing. [1123/02]

Joe Higgins

Ceist:

166 Mr. Higgins (Dublin West) asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will condemn the assassination in November 2001 of a person (details supplied); and if he will call publicly for an independent investigation into this assassination. [1356/02]

Proinsias De Rossa

Ceist:

169 Proinsias De Rossa asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the reason there has been no Government statement on the death of a person (details supplied); the Government's position on the 1969 Act of Choice which incorporated West Papua into Indonesia; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1427/02]

Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Cowen)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 163, 166 and 169 together.

The Government was appalled by the murder of Mr. Eluay on 11 November. We responded immediately by working with our EU partners on the drafting of a joint declaration which was issued by the Presidency on behalf of the Union. In this declaration, we urged the Indonesian authorities to clarify the circumstances of Mr. Eluay's murder and to act urgently to bring the perpetrators to justice. We also called for the full implementation of the special autonomy law.

The EU continues to raise its concerns about the situation in Irian Jaya with the Indonesian authorities. We have previously called on, and encouraged the Indonesian Government to make further urgent efforts to address, and resolve peacefully the various conflicts in Indonesia, including in Irian Jaya. EU Heads of Mission in Jakarta plan to undertake a factfinding mission to the province in the near future to evaluate at first hand the situation there.