Indonesia    

Nirj Deva is Chairman of the European Parliament Indonesia Group.

In 1999 he launched a programme to restore democracy after the fall of Suharto.

He has had high level meetings with two former Presidents of Indonesia HE Abdurraham Wahid and Her Excellency Megawati Soekarnoputri in Jakarta, asking her to arrest Umar Al Talib, the Al Quaeda trained terrorist who was killing Christians in the Mollucan Islands. That very evening, he was arrested and subsequently tried and jailed.

Nirj also met the President of Indonesia, the Hon. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono when Minister for Security and Political Affairs, and the Hon. Matori Abdul Djalil, to discuss security issues relating to the international fight against terrorism.

He has had extensive discussion with the Indonesian Government regarding Provincial devolution arrangements which seek to give greater powers to the provinces of Indonesia, including West Papua and Aceh.

He is monitoring European Commission assistance to Indonesia including the substantial funds being spent on Good Governance and Re-afforestation.
On 10th March 2004 was appointed leader of the European Parliament Observation Team for the Indonesian General Election. He has led two European Parliament Election Observation missions to Indonesia.

He has initiated European support for local revenue-raising systems, and governmental capacity-building.

He has supported provision of a hospital ship so that medical care can be brought to the remote islands.

He has assisted Indonesia to secure 27 million Euros for re-afforestation projects.
 

Statement Regarding Earthquake
19th February 2005

02:49am

Reacting to the news that a powerful earthquake that measured in excess of 6.5 on the Richter scale has struck the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, Nirj Deva, Member of the European Parliament for South East England and the Rapportuer for the Parliament’s aid budget has promised to deliver urgent humanitarian assistance to the worst affected areas.

Speaking from London, the MEP said:

“In the last hour I have been in contact with the European Union Humanitarian Office to request, as a matter of extreme urgency, an impact and needs assessment is carried out in the region.

“Whilst I am extremely shocked to hear that Indonesia has been afflicted by a second major earthquake in as many weeks, by acting swiftly and learning from the mistakes that were made in the immediate hours following the tsunami we will be able to ensure that aid swiftly and effective reaches the areas where it is most needed.

“As the author of the Budget for the International Development Committee of the European Parliament, I will ensure that, in addition to the EU funding to assist with the aftermath of the tsunami, additional aid will be release to help the people of the Sulawesi region in the days and weeks ahead.

“Now is the time to act. Tomorrow may well be too late”.

MEP Shows Indonesia The Way To Democracy
10th April 2004

On Thursday, Indonesia concluded the most complex electoral process ever undertaken in the history of the world by casting and counting, in one single day, over 600 million votes for 4 different legislative chambers, national, provincial and regional, using 500 000 polling stations manned by some 3.5 million official staff, to elect almost 2000 representatives.

That this was a logistical miracle conducted in a peaceful and transparent manner despite some administrative shortcomings; bodes well for the future of democracy in Indonesia, the largest Muslim country in the world, which has in a few short years gone from dictatorship to democracy, keeping its territorial integrity intact in a country that spans three time zones with 250 languages and over 15 ethnic groups.

At a time when the western powers are desperately trying to contain the spread of international terrorism by force of arms, the strengthening of democracy by peaceful means in the largest Muslim country in the world is salutary and signal for the future, in the light of recent events in the Middle East.

If it can be done in Indonesia, it can be done any Muslim country.

People are crying out to be free, to have security and a stable future for their children. The lessons to be learned, the cheers for democracy that we heard in Indonesia, must ring out in Baghdad, Damascus, Cairo, Tripoli and Riyadh.

The way forward is through empowerment, cooperation and encouragement, and through practical measures aimed at furthering popular participation in the political process, through substantial financial and, where appropriate, technical support for democratic capacity building. Democratisation by Empowerment is far better, easier, cheaper and more sustainable than democratisation by force.
 

MEP To Chair Election Observation Team
10th March 2004

Local MEP, Nirj Deva has today (Wednesday) been appointed as the Chairman of the European Parliament Observation Team for the Indonesian General Election.
 
With the country stretching lengthways the distance east to west of London to Turkey the MEP will be responsible for a team of more than two hundred European Parliament members and officials with further representatives attending from Japan and the US-based Carter Institute.
 
Indonesia’s 147 million eligible voters will vote on April 5th in a series of polls to fill more than 16,000 positions in local and provincial councils, the national parliament and the office of President.
 
Speaking from the European Parliament in Brussels, Nirj Deva said:
 
“I am delighted to have been asked to take on such a crucial role in ensuring that the highest standards are upheld in the casting and counting of ballots in the Indonesian General Election.
 
“It is an honour to have been asked to Chair the delegation from the European Parliament who will oversee what is the first full set of elections since the fall of General Suharto’s thirty year dictatorship.
 
“The elections will be a crucial test for the Indonesia after a series of democratic innovations and I am proud to have been asked to play such a crucial role in ensuring their fairness”.
 
Notes To Editors
 
The country has a total of 300 different regional languages and a total population of 219.9 million
 
General Suharto fell from power after widespread rioting in 1998. During his years in Government elections were ‘stage managed’, yet democracy was effectively denied.
 
Megawati Sukarnoputri has served as President since 2001 following the resignation of President Abdurrahman Wahid.
 
For the first time, the next national parliament will be fully elected after the police and military gave up their 38 reserved seats. The national parliament will be chosen through an open list proportional to the representation system. Official "paper" results are to be announced by 28 April, but a computerised count is expected to give an unofficial result within two days of voting
 

Developing Closer Relations With Indonesia
12th December 2000

Deva (PPE-DE). – Mr President, I congratulate Mrs Maij-Weggen on an excellent report. I know she has great experience of Indonesia and, in particular, the Indonesian Moluccan community living in Holland. The position we have to take regarding the territorial integrity of Indonesia is simple: we have to abide by international law and by the United Nations Resolution 2504 of December 1969. That resolution categorically affirms that Irian Jaya is part of Indonesia. It is something that all our countries have agreed to, have signed up to, and have a responsibility to support. It was a recognition by the global community of the legality of the vote in Irian Jaya to become a permanent part of Indonesia and reaffirm United Nations Declaration 1514 of 1960 which prohibits any act aimed at the partial or total disruption of the national unity and territorial integrity of a country.

The situation in Irian Jaya is totally different, legally and constitutionally, from the situation that pertained to East Timor. Parliament should not confuse the two. Irian Jaya is an integral part of Indonesia historically. East Timor never was. The rule of law must therefore prevail. Yes, of course we must ensure that Indonesia maintains its progress in the prosecution of those members of the security forces accused of human rights violations. In this case we must wield the carrot and the stick. Any outside intervention other than support for democratisation and the rule of law can only be seen as counterproductive and inflammatory to all parties. There will be no winners if we take an imperial stance on this issue. I use that word advisedly.

What we can do in the European Parliament and the EU is to ask the new democratic Indonesian Government not to over-react. Over-reaction will play into the hands of the separatists, turning terrorists into martyrs and heroes. The other activity we can undertake immediately is to give massive support to good governance projects in Indonesia: support in terms of manpower, money, NGO activity, setting standards and criteria so that the devolved administrative arrangement now agreed by President Wahid can be underpinned by creating lasting democratic and civil society institutions.

If we want to help Indonesia we must act now with money and deeds, not merely words.