| Subject: RT: Unions, rights groups want Indonesia
funds withheld Date: Sat, 24 Jul 1999 12:16:11 -0400 From: "John M. Miller" <fbp@igc.apc.org> Unions,rights groups want Indonesia funds withheld 01:13 p.m Jul 22, 1999 Eastern PARIS, July 22 (Reuters) - A coalition of unions and human rights groups on Thursday urged international creditors to withhold fresh funds for Indonesia, saying corruption and repression were still a problem in the country. A meeting of the Consultative Group for Indonesia (CGI) is due to be held in Paris later this month and is expected to pledge between $5.5 to $6.0 billion in new loans to Indonesia. The ad hoc group of organisations, including French anti-racist groups, trades' unions and Timor support movements, said in a statement they had written to French Finance Minister Dominique Strauss-Kahn to express their concerns. ``''We have asked for a suspension of CGI aid, at least until the Timor ballot organised by the United Nations for August and until further controls are imposed on the use of the (funds),'' the organisations said. The U.N. is overseeing an independence referendum in disputed East Timor, which is expected to take place next month. The 11 organisations said Indonesia had used World Bank funds to finance its anti-independence campaign in East Timor. ``We have alerted Mr Strauss-Kahn about the major problems of corruption in Indonesia, notably the fraudulent use of public development aid, including by means of repression,'' the groups said. (Paris newsroom, +331 4221 5339, fax +331 4236 1072, paris.newsroom+reuters.com) Back to July Menu |