[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 117 (Friday, August 2, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Page S9473]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       RECENT RIOTS IN INDONESIA

  Mr. PELL. Mr. President, I know we all have been saddened in recent 
days by reports of rioting and violence in Indonesia. Last weekend, the 
government cracked down on a political opposition group in Jakarta. 
Supporters of that group took to the street in protest and as a result, 
several people have been killed and over 200 arrested. The crackdown 
has reportedly been widened to include other known political activists 
including Muchtar Pakpahan, the head of the Indonesian Labor Welfare 
Union.
  We also read this week that the military commander in Jakarta ordered 
his troops to ``shoot on the spot'' any protestors who are seen to be 
threatening the peace, a particularly disturbing development. I would 
urge the government in Jakarta to seek to negotiate and to work with 
the opposition forces in a peaceful manner, rather than calling on the 
military to quell any protests. This is the same approach I suggest in 
the report of my visit to Indonesia 2 months ago.
  The root of the current problems is, I believe, the lack of an open 
political system in Indonesia. Two token legal opposition parties are 
allowed to exist, but they have little influence over policy. They 
cannot seriously challenge the ruling Golkar party. The current 
political and electoral systems are designed such that Golkar is 
assured of retaining power. But in the most recent parliamentary 
elections in 1992, Golkar unexpectedly lost a percentage of the 
parliamentary seats. Hoping for a trend, the two opposition parties 
were beginning to talk of making greater gains in the parliamentary 
elections scheduled for next year, although observers never thought 
either was likely to take the majority. This talk upset the government. 
Even though retaining ultimate political control was never in question, 
the government has reacted to even a slight loss in that control by 
calling on the military.
  The government is centering its efforts on the Indonesian Democracy 
Party--or PDI--led by Megawati Sukarnoputri, the daughter of 
Indonesia's first president, Sukarno. Megawati had begun a very visible 
campaign in preparation for the parliamentary elections next year and 
indicated that she might challenge President Suharto in the 
presidential elections in 1998, a first for Suharto who has always been 
unopposed. In what appears to be a nervous reaction, the government 
allegedly orchestrated a coup within the PDI to force Megawati out of 
her leadership position. Her supporters took over the PDI headquarters 
and refused to leave until the military took over the headquarters this 
past weekend.
  President Suharto has done much that is good for his country. 
Indonesia's population control program, for example, is a model for the 
developing world. The country's economic development has been admirable 
and many U.S. companies benefit from their investments throughout the 
archipelago. But as the country has grown and developed economically, 
it comes as no surprise that certain elements of Indonesian society now 
want their country to grow and develop politically as well. The 
government's current approach to the threat of a serious political 
challenge--to arrange for Megawati's overthrow within her party, blame 
the riots on virtually extinct communist sympathizers, and threaten to 
shoot any protestors--I believe will both hamper Indonesia's continued 
economic development and cause great harm to our bilateral 
relationship. Internally, the Indonesian currency and stock market are 
beginning to fall.
  For several months now the U.S. Government has considered selling F-
16s to the Indonesian military. In light of the events in Jakarta, I 
urge the administration to rethink the wisdom of this sale. My own view 
is that we should not rush forward with a high-technology, glamorous 
weapon sale to a foreign military that is threatening to shoot peaceful 
protestors in the street. I am encouraged, Mr. President, by some signs 
that the administration is considering holding off on this sale.
  Indonesia is poised to be one of the region's most important and 
influential countries. President Suharto has the chance now to 
accelerate that process by allowing for Indonesia's transition to 
modern political governance. He could follow the model of Taiwan, which 
transformed itself from a single-party, authoritarian regime to a 
thriving multi-party democracy without violence. Indonesia is more than 
ready to allow full-fledged, active opposition voices to publicly make 
their case to the people. I would urge the Indonesian Government to 
call back its military, deal peacefully with the opposition, and show 
the world it is indisputably ready for the 21st century.

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