Martial Law In Aceh Kevin Rudd - Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs

Media Statement - 19 May 2003

The Federal Parliamentary Labor Party expresses its deep concern at the breakdown in negotiations in Tokyo overnight between the Indonesian Government and the Acehnese Separatist Movement (GAM).

It is regrettable that negotiations have collapsed over the terms of the autonomy proposal advanced by President Megawati Sukarnoputri – in addition to the terms for the surrender of weapons by the Acehnese.

The Opposition fears that – given the declaration of martial law, the dispatch of a large-scale Indonesian military force to Aceh, and the reported commencement of hostilities today – we are about to witness great bloodshed.

The Opposition calls on Foreign Minister Downer to contact both his Indonesian counterpart and the Secretary General of the United Nations with a view to securing the immediate appointment of a UN special envoy to broker a ceasefire.