[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 86 (Wednesday, June 12, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1074]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      FOREIGN OPERATIONS, EXPORT FINANCING, AND RELATED PROGRAMS 
                        APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 1997

                                 ______


                               speech of

                       HON. CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 11, 1996

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 3540) making 
     appropriations for foreign operations, export financing, and 
     related programs for the fiscal year ending September 30, 
     1997, and for other purposes:

  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the 
amendment, which would prohibit IMET--foreign assistance for military 
education and training--to the Government of Indonesia.
  For over 20 years, international human rights advocates have been 
calling attention to abuses by the Indonesian Government in its 
occupation of East Timor. There is evidence that United States military 
assistance has helped to further the atrocities in East Timor.
  Indonesia's armed forces invaded East Timor in 1975, only weeks after 
East Timor had attained independence from Portugal. Since then, the 
Indonesian army has carried out a campaign of what amounts to ethnic 
cleansing against the Timorese through a program of forced migration. 
Persecution has been particularly harsh against the Christian majority.
  More than 200,000 Timorese--out of a total population of 700,000--
have been killed directly or by starvation in forced migrations from 
their villages since the Indonesian invasion.
  There are recent reports of a renewed campaign of repression of 
Catholics in East Timor. These reports include atrocities such as the 
smashing of statutes of the Virgin Mary. The campaign has also been 
directed personally against the Catholic Bishop of Dili, Bishop Belo. 
His phones are tapped, his fax machine is monitored, his visitors are 
watched, and his freedom of movement is restricted. But Bishop Belo 
persists in his courageous efforts to defend justice, peace, and the 
preservation of the dignity of his people. Recently, he has set up a 
church commission to monitor human rights abuses, and a radio station 
to disseminate information and news.
  Mr. Speaker, the people of East Timor comprise a sovereign nation. 
They differ from most Indonesians in language, religion, ethnicity, 
history, and culture. They are entitled to independence and freedom. 
And in the meantime, they are entitled to fundamental human rights 
including the freedom of religion.
  Supporters of expanded IMET for Indonesia argue that since one of the 
purposes of such aid is to educate the military about human rights, we 
should provide such aid no matter what they do. But this presumes a 
willingness on the part of the government to change its dismal record. 
In the absence of such willingness, the only real effect of expanded 
IMET is to send a signal to the world that our disapproval of the 
Indonesian military--which we expressed after the 1991 massacre by 
cutting off all IMET--has softened. This is the wrong signal at the 
wrong time. We must not put our stamp of approval on a regime that 
massacres children in churchyards and then remains defiant.
  I urge a ``yes'' vote on the amendment.

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