Letter: Arms to Indonesia

Friday 03 September 1999 23:02 BST

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Sir: Back in April, Tony Blair declared a new internationalism under which the brutal repression of whole ethnic groups would no longer be tolerated. As Dili burns, East Timorese and United Nations staff members are killed, and journalists flee the country ("UN on brink of quitting Timor base after killings", 3 September), where is Tony Blair and his "new internationalism" now?

Has Mr Blair got anything at all to say on the matter? Perhaps he would like to explain how continued British arms sales to the Indonesian army and police forces fit into this new ethical intolerance, given that, as Amnesty International tells us, the Indonesian authorities continue to allow their security forces to act in unison with militias to threaten, intimidate and murder.

DAVID EDWARDS

Bournemouth, Dorset

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