To: The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Dr. B.R. Bot
The Minister of Foreign Trade, Mrs. Ir. C.E.G. van Gennip
At this moment the Dutch government is considering the export of
corvettes to Indonesia. The Dutch arms export policy is based on the
Code of Conduct for Arms Exports of the European Union. Besides this
code the Netherlands has also its own responsibility while assessing
the effects of its arms exports (operative provision 2). In the EU Code
of Conduct it is stated not to issue an export licence if there is a
clear risk exists that the proposed export might be used for internal
repression (crit. 2.a.), or when exports would provoke or prolong armed
conflicts or aggravate existing tensions or conflicts in the country of
final destination (crit. 3).
The human rights situation in Indonesia continues to be a reason of
concern. Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have documented
extra juridical executions, 'disappearances', torture, arbitrary
imprisonment, and excessive violence by the police and armed forces.
Human Rights organisations are not permitted to enter the region, which
hampers the investigations in human rights violations. Indonesia has
ended the peace process on Aceh and deployed the armed forces in Aceh.
This military intervention causes many victims. Furthermore, the
acquisition of the expensive corvettes is at the cost of expenditures
on social development in Indonesia.
In the past the weapon technology delivered by the Netherlands has been
used during the operations in Aceh. The use of the naval vessels the
Kri Lemadang and Kri Todak in May 2003 has been confirmed by the Dutch
government.
An other naval vessel, the Kri Hadjar Dewantara is used for the
transport of troops. This ship is fully comparable with the vessels
that are now to be delivered. This raises concern, because the new
vessels may be used for the same tasks. Moreover this policy is
inconsistent, because the Dutch government stated in November 2003 that
the potential use of airplanes for transport duties was seen as reason
not to permit an export license for aircraft parts.
For these reasons the deliverance of corvettes to Indonesia is in
violation with the code of conduct on conventional arms exports of the
European Union.
Undersigned organisations call upon the Dutch government:
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