[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 194 (Thursday, December 7, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2306-E2307]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                20TH ANNIVERSARY OF EAST TIMOR INVASION

                                 ______


                           HON. TONY P. HALL

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, December 7, 1995

  Mr. HALL of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, today marks the 20th anniversary of 
the Indonesian invasion of the former Portuguese colony of East Timor. 
It is sobering to reflect on the fact that responsible observers affirm 
that at least 100,000, and perhaps more than 200,000 of a population of 
less than 700,000, have perished from the combined effects of 
Indonesia's December 1975 invasion of the territory. Proportionately, 
this is a death toll at least as great if not greater than Cambodia 
under the Khmer Rouge. While the vast majority of these deaths took 
place between 1975 and 1980, harsh repression continues in East Timor 
and the tragedy there cries out for a solution.
  East Timor has been the scene of numerous arrests, beatings, and 
torture in recent months, mainly of young people. Authoritative 
observers make it clear that these practices are routine. It is 
therefore of great importance that the United Nations High Commissioner 
for Human Rights, Joee Ayala Lasso, is visiting East Timor at this 
time. This makes it all the more important that concrete steps be taken 
to improve the human rights situation in East Timor. President Clinton 
raised the issue of human rights in East Timor with President Suharto 
in a meeting in Washington in late October, one of several times that 
he has raised the issue with Indonesia's leader.
  I believe there should be increased international efforts to resolve 
the tragedy in East Timor, which continues to cause so much human 
suffering. After all, if we are able to do something about Bosnia, over 
time we can also do something about East Timor, and it probably would 
be a lot easier to do so in East Timor.
  I would note that in recent years hundreds of Members of Congress 
from both parties have signed letters and appeals on the East Timor 
situation and that international concern over the issue has grown over 
time. In 1995, 

[[Page E 2307]]
this growing international concern was exemplified by the nomination of 
the Roman Catholic Bishop of East Timor, 47-year-old Carlos Ximenes 
Belo, for the Nobel Peace Prize. The Associated Press and other news 
organizations listed Bishop Belo as a finalist in the days before the 
peace prize winner was announced in mid-October.
  As one of those who nominated Bishop Belo for the Nobel Peace Prize, 
I firmly believe that the Congress and the Clinton administration and 
other governments and parliaments and world leaders should support 
Bishop Belo in his continuing efforts to ward off violence and find a 
just, peaceful solution to the East Timor tragedy under U.N. auspices.
  It is crucial that Bishop Belo receive the maximum possible 
international support for his heroic efforts. In the year to come, I 
will work with my colleagues to help ensure that he gets it.

                          ____________________