[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 36 (Wednesday, March 19, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E518-E519]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          THE INDONESIA MILITARY ASSISTANCE ACCOUNTABILITY ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. PATRICK J. KENNEDY

                            of rhode island

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, March 19, 1997

  Mr. KENNEDY of Rhode Island. Mr. Speaker, as you are aware, I am very 
concerned about conditions in the former Portuguese colony of East 
Timor. Particularly, I believe I bring a unique perspective to the 
debate because I am one of the few Members of Congress to have visited 
the good people of East Timor. As a legislator, I have been privy to 
the debate in Congress over the responsibility of the United States to 
fight for human rights world wide.
  Up until 21 years ago, East Timor was a colony of Portugal. In 1975, 
the small, emerging nation of East Timor was brutally invaded by the 
nation of Indonesia. Over the past 21 years, the people of East Timor 
have been subjected to some of the worst abuses of human rights in the 
world. The Indonesian government has been a cruel and repressive 
dictatorship.
  More than 200,000 East Timorese--almost one-third of the population--
have been killed or have died from starvation after being forced from 
their villages. All attempts at peaceful protest have been met with 
violent oppression. This attack cannot be countenanced and this 
violence must end.
  Abduction, torture, suppression of dissent, and disappearances are 
common occurrences under the Indonesian occupation of East Timor. 
Suppression of the East Timorese independence movement includes 
arbitrary detention, use of secret detention facilities, rape, torture 
frequently resulting in death. These abuses occur in large part due to 
the free hand given to the military to suppress the independence 
movement.
  In December of last year, I visited the Indonesian-occupied land of 
East Timor. One of

[[Page E519]]

the greatest honors of my life was attending Christmas midnight mass 
celebrated by Bishop Belo, one of the two 1996 Nobel Peace Prize 
winners, and spending Christmas Day with him. My visit there has made 
me truly redouble my efforts on behalf of the people of East Timor and 
Indonesia.
  There is no question that the attacks and abuses are escalating 
throughout Indonesia. Since Christmas Eve, there have been numerous 
roundups by security forces. A recent New York Times editorial cited 
the effects of this crack down on nongovernmental organizations. This 
latest instance of violence against the people of East Timor and 
Indonesia requires an immediate response from the U.S. Government.
  As a former Portuguese colony, the concerns of the Portuguese-
Americans for the human rights situation in East Timor have been great. 
Indeed, as I travel across the country, it is primarily in the 
Portuguese communities, and of course the large Portuguese communities 
in Rhode Island, that I hear concerns over the plight of these people 
half way around the globe. Senator Pell and former Representative Ron 
Machtley both raised my awareness of this issue. Unfortunately, things 
have not changed. What was true then was true now, human rights in East 
Timor have not improved.
  This year's U.S. Department of State human rights report clearly 
classifies the country of Indonesia as one of the worst violators of 
human rights. The report highlights those actions based on 
authoritarian efforts to suppress dissent, enforce cohesion and 
restrict opposition groups and nongovernmental organizations. The 
report has over 30 pages dedicated to the intolerable human rights 
situation in Indonesia.
  The bill that I am introducing today, the Indonesian Military 
Assistance Accountability Act, will attempt to confirm a commitment 
from Indonesia to cease the human rights violations throughout the 
country. The bill imposes military sanctions on the country of 
Indonesia if its human rights record fails to improve.
  I have worked closely with numerous human rights groups, and 
nongovernmental organizations, to establish the most effective way to 
protect the people of East Timor and other parts of Indonesia, such as 
Aryan Jaya, where human rights atrocities are being committed.
  Specifically, the bill conditions United States arms sales and 
transfers on a few achievable policy reforms by the Government of 
Indonesia in the areas of free and fair elections, labor rights, 
protection of nongovernmental organizations, including human rights, 
environmental, and religious foundations, rights and protections for 
the people of East Timor, release of political prisoners, and fair 
trials for such persons.
  Indonesia repeatedly denies that there is a problem. If this is true, 
the Indonesians have nothing to fear by a close investigation of their 
human rights practices.
  Unfortunately, they do have much to fear and they have been very 
vocal about any possible legislation that I or other congressional 
Members may introduce.
  The bill I am introducing is clearly for military sanctions only. But 
it will send a message to Indonesia and it will take away the $26 
million in military assistance that it receives every year if it does 
not change its ways. We have waited too long for change and it will not 
come without a law on the books to impose change on Indonesia. I look 
to the rest of my congressional colleagues to support this legislation, 
in order that we send a clear and unmistakable message to Indonesia--
that they must cease violating the human rights of the people of 
Indonesia, particularly in East Timor.

                          ____________________