Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs written question – answered at on 14 May 2003.
Jeremy Corbyn
Labour, Islington North
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what monitoring of Indonesian military operation in Aceh is being undertaken by the UK Embassy in Jakarta; what discussions his Department has held with women's rights organisations on such operations; and if he will make a statement.
Mike O'Brien
Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Foreign & Commonwealth Office
holding answer
Our Embassy in Jakarta will be using all available sources of information, including NGOs, to monitor military operations in Aceh.
FCO officials have recently held discussions with an Aceh-based member of ORPAD, the Acehnese Women's Organisation for Democracy, who had expressed concern about the noticeable build-up of military activity in Aceh.
Yes1 person thinks so
No1 person thinks not
Would you like to ask a question like this yourself? Use our Freedom of Information site.
Secretary of State was originally the title given to the two officials who conducted the Royal Correspondence under Elizabeth I. Now it is the title held by some of the more important Government Ministers, for example the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
Parliamentary questions are conventionally answered within seven days of being lodged, or on a particular day for so-called "Named Day" questions. (Source: House of Commons Information Office, Factsheet P1, "Parliamentary Questions")
A holding answer may be issued by a Minister if, for whatever reason, a substantive or final answer to the question cannot be provided in the time available.
