Diplomats allowed to visit Maluku: Alwi
Diplomats allowed to visit Maluku: Alwi
THE HAGUE (JP): Visiting Indonesian Minister of Foreign
Affairs Alwi Shihab said here on Friday that foreign diplomats
and UN officials accredited in Indonesia would be allowed to
visit Maluku and North Maluku provinces to monitor the situation
in the riot-torn areas.
But Alwi quickly rejected suggestions on sending an official
international mission of politicians or UN officials to the area.
Speaking during a meeting with members of the Dutch Second
Chamber (parliament), Alwi added that few international relief
organizations would also be allowed direct access to the area
which is currently under a state of civilian emergency.
Alwi is on a brief visit to the Netherlands, which was
Indonesia's former colonial ruler.
The issue of the Maluku violence remains a concern of The
Hague as Holland is also home to thousands of people of Maluku
origin who fled Indonesia in the 1950s after a failed separatist
uprising was crushed by Jakarta.
Dutch politicians had urged the Indonesian government to allow
an independent international mission to Maluku to report on the
situation there.
The mission should be made up of the member countries of the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in cooperation
with the UN, a member of the social democratic PvDa party said.
"An independent mission is necessary in order to get an
objective picture of the situation in the islands," conservative
VVD party member Hessing said earlier.
Besides discussing the Maluku situation, Alwi also revealed
that President Abdurrahman Wahid had asked former Dutch Foreign
Minister and Former European Commissioner Hans van den Broek to
be his special advisor.
"Van den Broek could assist in general and European affairs,"
he contended.
Van den Broek, 60, will join U.S. former Secretary of State
Henry Kissinger as part of the growing list of the President's
special advisors.
Van den Broek refused to comment on the offer, saying that he
has yet to be officially approached for the job by the Indonesian
government.(Bobmantiri)