[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 116 (Thursday, August 1, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1444-E1445]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         THE FORGOTTEN TIMORESE

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. JOHN EDWARD PORTER

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, August 1, 1996

  Mr. PORTER. Mr. Speaker, I recently read an article in the Washington 
Post that discusses the increasing repression of the people of East 
Timor by a brutal Indonesian Government and accuses the world, 
including the United States, of just not caring.
  Mr. Speaker, the situation in Indonesia is nothing new--since 1975 
when Indonesia invaded East Timor and annexed it the following year, 
the peaceful citizens of East Timor have lived under daily brutal 
assault. Just 4 years ago, Indonesian troops killed more than 250 
peaceful mourners in a cemetery in Dili, the Timorese capital. In 
response to this reprehensible act, the Congress cut off all military 
training aid for Indonesia.
  Last year, Congress agreed, despite the strong objection of many 
Members, including myself, to renew military training aid for Indonesia 
upon the condition that the human rights situation would improve over 
the course of the year. Mr. Speaker, I am sad to report that instead of 
improvement, we saw deterioration in the human rights situation 
throughout 1995. The 1995 State Department Country Report on Human 
Rights Practices section devoted to Indonesia spells out very clearly 
Indonesia's lack of progress on the human rights front.
  And what do we do in light of deteriorating human rights conditions 
in East Timor? We vote, unbelievably, to give more military training 
aid to Indonesia for fiscal year 1997. Mr. Speaker, this sends the 
wrong message to the Indonesian Government. First, by saying one thing 
and doing the opposite, we give the impression that we do not mean what 
we say. This type of behavior gives us little credibility in the future 
to try to pressure the Indonesian Government to reform its oppressive 
ways. Second, by giving more military aid to a government whose human 
rights policies we find unconscionable, we give the Indonesian 
Government the go ahead to keep committing human rights abuses. Mr. 
Speaker, we must not continue to send mixed messages. We must send the 
strong, clear message that we will not tolerate such atrocious 
behavior. We must let the people of East Timor know that

[[Page E1445]]

we care about them, and that they are not forgotten.
  Mr. Speaker, as the world leader, the United States has the wonderful 
opportunity, and I argue obligation, to help improve conditions 
worldwide. We must not waste our chance to help the peaceful people of 
East Timor live free from daily fear and oppression.

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