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“THE INDONESIA MILITARY ASSISTANCE ACCOUNTABILITY ACT” mentioning the U.S. Dept of State was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E518-E519 on March 19, 1997.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
THE INDONESIA MILITARY ASSISTANCE ACCOUNTABILITY ACT
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HON. PATRICK J. KENNEDY
of rhode island
in the house of representatives
Wednesday, March 19, 1997
Mr. KENNEDY of Rhode Island. Mr. Speaker, as you are aware, I am very concerned about conditions in the former Portuguese colony of East Timor. Particularly, I believe I bring a unique perspective to the debate because I am one of the few Members of Congress to have visited the good people of East Timor. As a legislator, I have been privy to the debate in Congress over the responsibility of the United States to fight for human rights world wide.
Up until 21 years ago, East Timor was a colony of Portugal. In 1975, the small, emerging nation of East Timor was brutally invaded by the nation of Indonesia. Over the past 21 years, the people of East Timor have been subjected to some of the worst abuses of human rights in the world. The Indonesian government has been a cruel and repressive dictatorship.
More than 200,000 East Timorese--almost one-third of the population--
have been killed or have died from starvation after being forced from their villages. All attempts at peaceful protest have been met with violent oppression. This attack cannot be countenanced and this violence must end.
Abduction, torture, suppression of dissent, and disappearances are common occurrences under the Indonesian occupation of East Timor. Suppression of the East Timorese independence movement includes arbitrary detention, use of secret detention facilities, rape, torture frequently resulting in death. These abuses occur in large part due to the free hand given to the military to suppress the independence movement.
In December of last year, I visited the Indonesian-occupied land of East Timor. One of the greatest honors of my life was attending Christmas midnight mass celebrated by Bishop Belo, one of the two 1996 Nobel Peace Prize winners, and spending Christmas Day with him. My visit there has made me truly redouble my efforts on behalf of the people of East Timor and Indonesia.
There is no question that the attacks and abuses are escalating throughout Indonesia. Since Christmas Eve, there have been numerous roundups by security forces. A recent New York Times editorial cited the effects of this crack down on nongovernmental organizations. This latest instance of violence against the people of East Timor and Indonesia requires an immediate response from the U.S. Government.
As a former Portuguese colony, the concerns of the Portuguese-
Americans for the human rights situation in East Timor have been great. Indeed, as I travel across the country, it is primarily in the Portuguese communities, and of course the large Portuguese communities in Rhode Island, that I hear concerns over the plight of these people half way around the globe. Senator Pell and former Representative Ron Machtley both raised my awareness of this issue. Unfortunately, things have not changed. What was true then was true now, human rights in East Timor have not improved.
This year's U.S. Department of State human rights report clearly classifies the country of Indonesia as one of the worst violators of human rights. The report highlights those actions based on authoritarian efforts to suppress dissent, enforce cohesion and restrict opposition groups and nongovernmental organizations. The report has over 30 pages dedicated to the intolerable human rights situation in Indonesia.
The bill that I am introducing today, the Indonesian Military Assistance Accountability Act, will attempt to confirm a commitment from Indonesia to cease the human rights violations throughout the country. The bill imposes military sanctions on the country of Indonesia if its human rights record fails to improve.
I have worked closely with numerous human rights groups, and nongovernmental organizations, to establish the most effective way to protect the people of East Timor and other parts of Indonesia, such as Aryan Jaya, where human rights atrocities are being committed.
Specifically, the bill conditions United States arms sales and transfers on a few achievable policy reforms by the Government of Indonesia in the areas of free and fair elections, labor rights, protection of nongovernmental organizations, including human rights, environmental, and religious foundations, rights and protections for the people of East Timor, release of political prisoners, and fair trials for such persons.
Indonesia repeatedly denies that there is a problem. If this is true, the Indonesians have nothing to fear by a close investigation of their human rights practices.
Unfortunately, they do have much to fear and they have been very vocal about any possible legislation that I or other congressional Members may introduce.
The bill I am introducing is clearly for military sanctions only. But it will send a message to Indonesia and it will take away the $26 million in military assistance that it receives every year if it does not change its ways. We have waited too long for change and it will not come without a law on the books to impose change on Indonesia. I look to the rest of my congressional colleagues to support this legislation, in order that we send a clear and unmistakable message to Indonesia--
that they must cease violating the human rights of the people of Indonesia, particularly in East Timor.
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