[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 744 Introduced in House (IH)]






108th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 744

 Congratulating the people and Government of the Republic of Indonesia 
  on successfully completing elections for national, provincial, and 
  regional parliamentary representatives, and praising the growth of 
                        democracy in Indonesia.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 22, 2004

   Mr. Burton of Indiana (for himself, Mr. Wexler, and Mr. Bereuter) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
                       on International Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Congratulating the people and Government of the Republic of Indonesia 
  on successfully completing elections for national, provincial, and 
  regional parliamentary representatives, and praising the growth of 
                        democracy in Indonesia.

Whereas on April 5, 2004, the people of the Republic of Indonesia, in a critical 
        test of their young democracy, successfully held elections for national, 
        provincial, and regional parliamentary representatives;
Whereas unlike elections in other countries, campaigning in Indonesia has not 
        been marred by violence and, by most reports, balloting was conducted in 
        a fair, transparent, and democratic manner;
Whereas there are 148,369,000 registered voters in Indonesia and the recent 
        elections on April 5, 2004, were the largest single-day vote in history 
        with a voter turn-out of 83 percent or 124,449,036 Indonesian citizens;
Whereas the 124,449,036 citizens who participated in Indonesia's elections are 
        part of the world's third largest democracy, a major secular state with 
        a vast Muslim majority, which is rightfully gaining international 
        recognition for its strides toward complete democratization;
Whereas the elections on April 5, 2004, consisted of 660,000,000 ballot papers, 
        2,300,000 ballot boxes, 5,000,000 election workers, 585,000 polling 
        stations spread over more than 6,000 islands, and cost an estimated 
        $20,640,000;
Whereas 7,765 candidates competed on the national level for 550 seats in the 
        Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat (House of Representatives);
Whereas 40,000 candidates competed on the regional level for 1,838 seats in 32 
        provinces in the DPRD 1 (Provincial Representative Council), and on the 
        local level for 5,000 seats in 439 districts in the DPRD 2 (Regency 
        District Representative Council);
Whereas 940 candidates competed for 128 seats, equaling 4 Members per province, 
        for the new Dewan Perwakilan Daerah (Council of Regional 
        Representatives);
Whereas due to Indonesia's commitment to democratization, there will no longer 
        be appointed representatives for the military and police within any 
        elected legislative bodies of the Republic of Indonesia;
Whereas the Indonesian market responded positively to the elections held on 
        April 5, 2004, rising for 8 consecutive days, 5 days before the 
        election, and 3 days afterward, with a cumulative gain of 9.1 percent;
Whereas the 220,000,000 people of Indonesia have progressively emerged from over 
        40 years of authoritarian rule and adopted a democratic system of 
        governance;
Whereas when so many positive stories in the Muslim world are obscured by 
        violent uprisings in areas of historic conflict, Indonesia is making 
        progressive political and constitutional reforms, while at the same time 
        demonstrating that the fundamental tenants of Islam and democracy are 
        not mutually exclusive, and can in fact successfully work in tandem;
Whereas a new generation of democratic participation has arisen out of 
        Indonesia's turbulent past, and Indonesia's friends and neighbors, and 
        the international community at large, can only benefit as the country 
        embraces the model of a modern democratic state; and
Whereas Indonesia is an important friend of the United States: Now, therefore, 
        be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) congratulates the people and Government of the Republic 
        of Indonesia on successfully completing elections on April 5, 
        2004, for national, provincial, and regional parliamentary 
        representatives;
            (2) welcomes and supports political and economic 
        transformations achieved by Indonesia as it continues toward 
        complete democratization;
            (3) expresses gratitude to the more than 500 international 
        observers from around the world who viewed the elections held 
        on April 5, 2004, in Indonesia, as largely free, fair, and 
        peaceful; and
            (4) urges the growth of friendship and cooperation between 
        the United States and Indonesia as Indonesia continues down the 
        path of democracy.
                                 <all>