[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 86 (Thursday, June 30, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: June 30, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                               EAST TIMOR

  Mr. DURENBERGER. Mr. President, I rise to express my deep dismay 
regarding the Senate's vote last evening concerning the sale of arms to 
Indonesia.
  My colleagues are well aware of my interest and activity in regard to 
Indonesia's persistent abuse of human rights in East Timor. This is an 
issue which has concerned me for my entire tenure in the Senate.
  It was almost 20 years ago that Indonesia invaded East Timor. The 
history of the past 20 years is a record of ongoing, brutal repression 
of the people of East Timor. Year after year, various human rights 
publications, including the annual Country Reports on Human Rights from 
the State Department, detail reports of torture, arbitrary arrests, 
unfair trials, and many other abuses, including harassment of human 
rights monitors.
  In response to the Dili massacre in November 1991, the Congress 
suspended IMET aid to Indonesia. The House bill for fiscal year 1995 
includes a prohibition on IMET to Indonesia. The Foreign Operations 
Subcommittee deleted this prohibition, and instead proposed language 
that any agreement to sell or provide military equipment to Indonesia 
during fiscal year 1995 shall expressly state that it not be used in 
East Timor.
  Mr. President, this is not at all unreasonable. There are 8,000 
Indonesian troops in East Timor. The record of repression is clear. All 
the committee provision did was require that United States arms should 
not be used against the people of East Timor. This action would send a 
strong message to the Indonesian Government that the United States will 
no longer turn a blind eye to its repression of the East Timorese. But 
by tabling the committee amendment, we have sent exactly the wrong 
message.
  I will continue to press ahead and consistently urge the Indonesian 
Government to accept internationally accepted standards of human 
rights. I know my friend from Wisconsin, Senator Feingold, will 
continue to push this matter as well, and I appreciate his efforts in 
this regard.
  Thank you, Mr. President. I yield the floor.

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