The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“SAN FRANCISCO BOARD OF SUPERVISORS CONDEMN PERSECUTION OF CHINESE IN INDONESIA” mentioning the U.S. Dept of State was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E1484 on July 30, 1998.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
SAN FRANCISCO BOARD OF SUPERVISORS CONDEMN PERSECUTION OF CHINESE IN
INDONESIA
______
HON. TOM LANTOS
of california
in the house of representatives
Thursday, July 30, 1998
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I call to the attention of my colleagues in the House a resolution condemning the persecution of Chinese in Indonesia which was recently adopted by the Board of Supervisors of the city of San Francisco. I want to mention in particular two outstanding Supervisors--Mabel Teng and Leland Yee--who took the initiative in calling for a resolution to condemn the at-times brutal treatment of ethnic Chinese living in Indonesia.
Mr. Speaker, the recent popular unrest in Indonesia led to gross abuse of the human rights of the Chinese population there. At my direction the Congressional Human Rights Caucus holds a briefing for Members of Congress and congressional staff today to understand the dimensions of this tragic assault against ethnic Chinese in Indonesia. The U.S. Government must make clear to the government in Jakarta that such abuses are totally unacceptable, and we must be certain that the Indonesian Government works to prevent the recurrence of such actions.
At a hearing of the Subcommittee on International Operations and Human Rights which was held last Thursday (July 23) and which focused on human rights in Indonesia, I raised the issue of Chinese human rights violations in Indonesia with our Assistant Secretary of State for Human Rights, John Shattuck. I want to reiterate, Mr. Speaker, what I said on that occasion. I earnestly hope that the cataclysmic changes which are sweeping over Indonesia today and which will have enormously negative ramifications for tens of millions of Indonesians in an economic sense, will herald the opening up of the process of democratization and respect for human rights--and particularly, respect for the rights of the Chinese population living in Indonesia.
One of the sad aspects of our Nation's own human rights record has been our failure to press for equal rights for the Chinese population of Indonesia, which has been pivotal in the economic development of that country. In the hearing last week with Assistant Secretary Shattuck, Mr. Speaker, I asked and received assurance that the Department of State will press the government of Indonesia for a full investigation of the brutal and violent acts taken against the ethnic Chinese community there and that we will actively and aggressively urge full observance of the human rights of Chinese in Indonesia.
Mr. Speaker, the resolution recently adopted by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors is an important statement on this important issue, and I commend Supervisor Teng and Supervisor Yee for their initiative. I submit the full text of this resolution to be placed in the Record.
Condemning the Persecution of Chinese in Indonesia
Condemning the persecution, racial violence and sexual brutality against ethnic Chinese in Indonesia and urging our congressional representatives to call for a full investigation into these atrocious acts of violence and pressure the Indonesian government for a full investigation to seek accountability and justice.
Whereas, recently 1,200 people died in Indonesia as a result of targeted and vicious attacks and riots; and
Whereas, ethnic Chinese in Indonesia were targeted for racial violence, looting and sexual brutality; and
Whereas, various human rights groups report that at least 70 Chinese women were systematically raped, and 20 of those women died due to complications from their injuries; and
Whereas, rape victims included young girls; and
Whereas, Indonesian Chinese have been subjected to organized persecution that included looting, burning of churches and homes and mass raping in public; and
Whereas, human rights groups, including the Jakarta Legal Aid Institute, have accused the Indonesian government represented by security forces of failing to control the violence, and encouraging the brutality; and
Whereas, the Jakarta Legal Aid Institute and other human rights groups have filed a class action lawsuit against the Indonesian government for these attacks; and
Whereas, much of the media worldwide covered the student demonstrations in Jakarta, however, the specific reports of the widespread violence and attacks against the ethnic Chinese have been largely ignored; and
Whereas, the United States must condemn and denounce these horrific atrocities of violence and express the moral outrage of the American people; therefore be it
Resolved, That the Board of Supervisors in the City and County of San Francisco condemns the persecution, racial violence and sexual brutality against ethnic Chinese in Indonesia; and be it
Further Resolved, That the Board of Supervisors in the City and County of San Francisco urges that our Congressional Representatives call for a full investigation into these atrocious acts of violence and pressure the Indonesian government for a full investigation to seek accountability and justice.
____________________
