Congressional Record, Volume 145 Issue 37 (Tuesday, March 9, 1999)

[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 37 (Tuesday, March 9, 1999)]
[House]
[Pages H1036-H1041]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR FREE, FAIR, AND TRANSPARENT ELECTIONS IN
INDONESIA

Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to
the resolution (H. Res. 32) expressing support for, and calling for
actions in support of, free, fair and transparent elections in
Indonesia.
The Clerk read as follows:

H. Res. 32

Whereas Indonesia is the world's fourth most populous
country, has the world's largest Muslim population, and has
repeatedly demonstrated itself to be a good friend of the
United States;
Whereas a stable and democratic Indonesia can continue to
play an important leadership role in the security and
stability of Southeast Asia;
Whereas Indonesian national elections in 1955 were judged
to be free and fair, but more recent elections have been far
more problematic;
Whereas in response to overwhelming public demand, long-
time leader (32 years) Soeharto resigned on May 21, 1998;
Whereas elections for the House of Representatives of
Indonesia (DPR) have been scheduled for June 7, 1999;
Whereas it is in the interests of all Indonesians and
friends of Indonesia that the June 1999 elections be free,
fair, and transparent;
Whereas the Government of Indonesia has welcomed
international interest and technical support for the
elections, under the coordination of the United Nations
Development Program;
Whereas United States and international nongovernmental
organizations such as the National Democratic Institute for
International Affairs (NDI), the Asia Foundation, the
International Republican Institute (IRI), the International
Foundation for Election Systems (IFES), and the American
Center for International Labor Solidarity (ACILS) are
providing election assistance throughout Indonesia; and
Whereas the active participation in election monitoring by
the international community, including the United States
Congress, would contribute meaningfully to the Indonesian
election: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) supports the aspirations of the Indonesian people for
democratic elections;
(2) urges the Government of Indonesia to take all steps,
including the provision of adequate financial and
administrative resources, to ensure that the parliamentary
elections scheduled for June 7, 1999, are free, fair, and
transparent, according to internationally recognized
standards, and that an institutional capacity is put in place
for free and fair elections in the future;
(3) calls upon the Government of Indonesia to enact
election laws that ensure that the will of the people is
respected, both in the parliamentary elections scheduled for
June 7 and in the general session of the People's
Consultative Assembly (MPR) that will elect a new President
and Vice President later in 1999;
(4) appeals to all political leaders and responsible
persons to strive to ensure that the campaign period remains
peaceful;
(5) calls upon all Indonesian political parties, the armed
forces, and the pubic at large to respect the results of free
and fair elections;
(6) recognizes with approval the activities of domestic and
international nongovernmental organizations in the areas of
voter education, technical assistance, and election
monitoring;
(7) acknowledges the important financial support provided
by the United States Agency for International Development for
the elections;
(8) calls upon other countries to provide financial support
for the elections as well; and
(9) urges the Speaker and minority leader of the House of
Representatives to designate congressional observers for the
June 7, 1999, election.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Nebraska (Mr. Bereuter) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Bereuter).

General Leave

Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their
remarks on this measure.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Nebraska?
There was no objection.
Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
(Mr. BEREUTER asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, as original cosponsor of H. Res. 32, this
Member rises to express his strong support for actions in support of
free, fair and transparent elections in Indonesia.
The fourth most populous nation in the world and a key to the
stability and prosperity of the Southeast Asia region, Indonesia is
undergoing a profound political transformation in the midst of a
devastating economic crisis. With a culturally, linguistically and
religiously diverse population of 210 million people spread over 14,000
inhabited islands, Indonesia in a geographic, ethnic and linguistic
sense may be the most complicated nation in the world. Achieving a free
and fair multiparty election in such a country is a daunting task,
particularly since more than four decades have passed since the last
such election in Indonesia.
Mr. Speaker, since the resignation of former President Soeharto in
May of last year, the Government of Indonesia has taken a number of
important steps toward the establishment of a more open and more
genuinely democratic political system. While much remains to be done,
positive actions thus far include the lifting of restrictions on
freedom of the press, the freeing of a number of political prisoners,
and the end to the ban on the formation of new political parties. More
than 140 political parties have been formed over the past few months
and out of that number 48 parties have officially qualified to compete
in the parliamentary elections scheduled to take place on June 7. A
successful, free and fair democratic election in June is essential to
ensure that the new Indonesian President and Government, to be elected
later this year, in November, will have the legitimacy and popular
support to carry

[[Page H1037]]

through on difficult but badly needed political and economic reforms.
Mr. Speaker, this Member had the opportunity to visit Indonesia in
January with a bipartisan delegation of Members co-led by the
distinguished gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Kolbe). The delegation
members witnessed at firsthand the momentous events that are occurring
on a daily basis in Indonesia. As a result, this Member and the other
Members on the delegation came away impressed by the importance of the
election and the need to work together on a bipartisan basis to draft
the resolution now before the House. Indeed, we completed most of the
work during that trip.
It was clear from the delegation's meeting that the Government of
Indonesia would also welcome the presence of congressional observers
for the election under the coordination of the United Nations
Development Program, UNDP. The resolution, therefore, expresses its
support for adequate assistance for the U.S. Government to support
election training programs, voter education and election monitoring. It
calls upon the Speaker, therefore, and the Minority Leader to designate
such observers. And it warns of the danger of missing this opportunity
to promote peace and democracy in this critically important country
where the consequences of failure are potentially very severe and very
much contrary to the best interests of U.S.-Indonesian relations.
Mr. Speaker, although it is not the subject of the resolution now
before us, many will also note with appreciation the recent dramatic
developments concerning East Timor. For the first time, the Government
of Indonesia has stated that if the people of East Timor do not accept
the broad autonomy package now being negotiated under United Nations
auspices, a breakthrough initiative in itself, then Indonesia would
grant East Timor its independence. The latest round of these
negotiations is taking place in New York this week. As a matter of
fact, tomorrow. This Member knows that many of his colleagues will join
him in wishing for a prompt and successful outcome in these
negotiations between Portugal and Indonesia.
This Member notes with appreciation the cosponsorship of this
resolution by the distinguished gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Kolbe) and
all other members of the delegation that visited Indonesia in January,
including the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Moran), the gentleman from
Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer), the gentlewoman from Maryland (Mrs. Morella),
the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Weller), the gentleman from
Pennsylvania (Mr. Greenwood) and the gentleman from California (Mr.
Kuykendall). This Member urges all of his colleagues to support H.Res.
32.
Mr. Speaker, I note with great appreciation the assistance of the
gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos), my distinguished ranking
member, who has also cosponsored this legislation as has the gentleman
from Guam (Mr. Underwood) and several other Members on both sides of
the aisle.
Mr. Speaker, I urge support for the resolution.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

{time} 1315

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Let me first express my appreciation to the gentleman from Nebraska
(Mr. Bereuter) for bringing this resolution to the body. I rise in
strong support of this resolution, and, Mr. Speaker, I first visited
Indonesia in 1956. It was a country of enormous promise. It clearly is
one of the wealthiest nations on this planet in terms of natural
resources, and it has enormous human resources which, had they been led
by farsighted and democratic leadership, would now be one of the most
successful societies on the face of this planet. That clearly is not
the case.
Cronyism, corruption, lack of democracy, Mr. Speaker, resulted in a
series of horrendously bad economic decisions which, when the Asian
economic crisis erupted, forced Indonesia into an economic downward
spiral. Millions of Indonesians are suffering and are on the verge of
starvation and economic disaster.
Our resolution expresses support for free, fair and transparent
elections in Indonesia. It was reported out of the House Committee on
International Relations last week with strong bipartisan support. We
are pleased that Indonesia will have elections in June, and these
elections will probably be the most important elections in the history
of this young and potentially promising society.
Our resolution supports the democratic aspirations of the Indonesian
people and calls on all Indonesian citizens, of whatever ethnic
background, to strive for a peaceful campaign and to respect fully the
results of the elections. The resolution urges the government of
Indonesia to take all steps necessary to ensure that the June elections
are free and fair and transparent, and it also expects that the
election laws under which the elections will take place will stand up
to democratic scrutiny.
Our resolution is strongly supportive of all domestic and
international nongovernmental organizations and the government of the
United States in the areas of voter education, technical assistance and
election monitoring, and the resolution calls on other democratic
societies that care about the future of Indonesia to provide similar
aid.
Mr. Speaker, these Indonesian elections in a country of over 200
million people could be a history-making step in making Southeast Asia
an arena of democracy. It will at long last take root. It is critical
that we have congressional observers during the course of these
elections. It is critical that the American media be represented in
full force. We must not allow the still existing anti-democratic forces
to take control of these elections, and I ask all of my colleagues to
support H.R. 32.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the
gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Kolbe).
(Mr. KOLBE asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. KOLBE. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate very much the gentleman from
Nebraska yielding this time to me, and I also appreciate his bringing
this resolution to the floor. I rise in strong support of H. Res. 32.
In January, along with the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Bereuter), I
had the honor of leading an official delegation that went to Indonesia
as well as other countries of Asia. I was moved by the spirit that we
saw in Indonesia and struck by the daunting economic and political
crisis that faces that Nation. President Soeharto, who ruled Indonesia
for over 30 years, left a tremendous political void in the wake of his
resignation last year. Although he had brought stability and economic
growth to Indonesia during the years that he ruled, when he left there
was a tremendous void of institutions equipped to handle a true
democracy.
So today, with a precarious economic situation, we also find a very
precarious political situation.
President Habibie faces a tremendous challenge in helping steer
Indonesia toward democracy. To some degree I believe that President
Habibie has met this challenge. He has instituted a series of steps,
including the release of political prisoners, and he has provided
greater press liberties. He has ordered investigations into human
rights violations and granted labor unions and political parties the
right to organize. He has introduced and supported a series of election
laws which will provide the framework for elections in Indonesia in
June of this year.
But the question still remains, is it too little and is it too late?
Indonesia remains a very close ally of the United States. Continued
stability in that country is critical. It is critical to stability
throughout all of Southeast Asia and, to a lesser degree, to the rest
of Asia and the rest of the developing world, and that stability in
Indonesia is intimately tied to elections that are free and fair and
transparent.
Should this election process fail, I think the worst could happen.
Certainly we should fear the worst of civil unrest, and that would have
ominous consequences for Indonesia and the region.
Unfortunately little will get done financially or economically in
this country until after these elections take place. Because these
elections are fundamental to creating political stability, to achieving
economic reform, the

[[Page H1038]]

international community must take a lead role in helping to ensure that
the elections are conducted freely and fairly and that they are seen as
being credible.
The United States has an immense interest in ensuring that the
elections are free and open, and we have an immense international
credibility that we can lend to this process. If we do not have
progress on the political front, it is very difficult to see how we are
going to make progress on the economic front afterwards.
So, Mr. Speaker, I believe the United States must take a leading role
in assuring that the elections scheduled for this June are free and
fair, and I pledge my strong support to assuring that that takes place.
This resolution is one way for us as a Nation, as a Congress, to go on
record in support of these elections, these free and open elections,
and I commend the gentleman for bringing this resolution to the floor.
Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his eloquent statement, as
well as that of the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos).
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Before yielding to my colleague from Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer), let me
just say that some of us are particularly concerned with respect to
Indonesia with the plight of the Chinese ethnic minority in that
country. In the violent eruptions following the economic collapse there
was a severe persecution of the Chinese ethnic minority involving
large-scale rapes and abuse of women. The Indonesian government will
need to understand that for it to be accepted into the family of
civilized nations it will have to guarantee all human rights to all
citizens of Indonesia irrespective of their ethnic background.
Let me also say, as one who has been seized with the issue of East
Timor and its population, that we welcome the favorable direction in
which matters are now moving. But the people of East Timor, as indeed
the Chinese ethnic minority in Indonesia, are entitled to live under a
government of their own choice. They are entitled to all human rights,
as are indeed all ethnic groups on the face of this planet. This
election will give Indonesia an opportunity to abandon its former
failed ways and to move towards a democratic and prosperous society.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Oregon (Mr.
Blumenauer), my friend, who has just completed a very interesting and
successful trip to the region.
Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding this
time to me. I strongly identify with his comments, and it is a pleasure
for me to share a few moments this afternoon with my colleagues, the
gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Bereuter) and the gentleman from Arizona
(Mr. Kolbe), who so ably led our delegation in the recent CODEL dealing
with some of the economic problems of Southeast Asia. I have forever, I
think, seared in my mind more than any of the other stops along the way
during our visit in that troubled region, the visions of what happened
in Indonesia. It has been already mentioned on the floor of this
Chamber that this is a huge country. It is the fourth most populous in
the world. It has the largest Muslim population. It is spread out over
15,000 islands, most of which are inhabited, but two statistics loom
large in my mind:
One is that of this vast population, over half are now at or below
the Indonesian poverty level and that in this context they have moved
forward to move from three political parties to over 140, and in three
short months they are going to attempt without any real election
infrastructure to administer their first democratic election in over 40
years.
It is a country that is troubled on several levels. The gentleman
from California (Mr. Lantos) mentioned the tragedy of East Timor, where
over 200,000 people have been killed in senseless violence in the last
25 years. There is also another violence that is occurring in this vast
archipelago where we have a violence against the environment, where
driven by economic imperatives and poor infrastructure they are
exploiting the forests, the coral reefs, the endangered species and the
fishing stock. If we are not active in this region, there will be
environmental damage that will have impacts throughout Southeast Asia
and the world for years to come.
I strongly commend to this Chamber adoption of the resolution and our
being forthright as to why these elections are so critical. Over
125,000 polling places are going to be staffed. We need to give our
support for this effort.
Second and implicit here, and I hope that we find ways to make it
explicit on the floor of this House and with our own personal
involvement, is the American pressure to deal with these forces of
transition as they try and correct their economy, as they try and have
a military that makes a transition to a civil society and dealing with
these environmental and ethnic issues that have been mentioned. There
is an opportunity for Members of this Congress to be active both in the
observation of the election process and making sure that we step
forward with the appropriate aid for this giant country. I cannot
conceive of any place in the world where our time and our money will be
better spent, will have more impact than in Indonesia.
Mr. Speaker, for most Americans Indonesia is sort of the country that
was the background for the movie, ``Year of Living Dangerously''. They
have maybe some vague recollection of what has happened in East Timor.
They may have some sense of this being the former colony of the Dutch
East Indies.

{time} 1330

We must, on this floor, find ways to make this image more real and
more impactful, because we cannot afford to avoid making our
responsibilities known as we help them deal with the change to which
they are being subjected.
Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from Oregon (Mr.
Blumenauer) for his support and his assistance. It was important not
only to stress the fundamental importance of this election but, as the
gentleman suggested, some of the burdens or difficulties that face
Indonesia in preparing for these elections. Those of us that watched
the election preparations, the infrastructure being put in place in
smaller, less complicated countries like Namibia or Nicaragua, are
quite concerned about the ability to put everything together in time to
have that free, fair and transparent election.
The United Nations Development Program is serving as the coordinating
entity for all of the bilateral and international assistance from NGOs
and from our government, and so I think that is a good way to proceed
and we will hope that the resources that are necessary are called upon
in a timely fashion by the Indonesian government.
Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman
from Florida (Mr. Stearns), who has an interest in this subject.
(Mr. STEARNS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. STEARNS. Mr. Speaker, I thank my distinguished colleague, the
gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Bereuter) for yielding.
Mr. Speaker, I also rise in support of House Resolution 32. I would
say to my colleagues, I also had a similar resolution in the last
Congress, which was House Resolution 281. This had bipartisan support
with the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith), the gentleman from
California (Mr. Rohrbacher) and also the gentleman from Rhode Island
(Mr. Kennedy), the gentleman from Vermont (Mr. Sanders) and the
gentlewoman from Georgia (Ms. McKinney).
I want to put into the record some of the things in this House
resolution because I think Mr. Habibie might want to adopt some of the
things that were in my House resolution, so just as a matter of record
and courtesy, I would like to provide that.
My House resolution expressed a sense of Congress that the United
States should support a complete transition that will lead immediately
to a democratically-elected nonmilitary government in Indonesia, which
includes, one, the release of all political prisoners; two,
legalization of political organizing activities; international
monitoring of human rights conditions; roundtable all-party discussion;
a transitional government of national unity; of course, democratic
elections; a truth

[[Page H1039]]

commission to address past political crimes; and recognition that past
injustices require redress.
As many have already pointed out, we are heartened by the
transitional government of President Habibie and the fact that he has
scheduled elections on June 7. I hope later this year he will schedule
elections for president and vice president. I think many of us would
have preferred elections earlier but I can understand the need for
stability in the transition.
Congress and the United States must speak with a strong voice. We are
doing that this afternoon in supporting free democratic elections. This
resolution does so, and I compliment the authors. The international
community should understand the United States is serious here and we
will make an investment of legislation and House resolutions to make
our point.
We need to continue to transmit our belief to Indonesia about
Americans' constitutional history that places the power of government
solely in the hands of democratically elected civilians, and the House
and the Senate have an opportunity to communicate those principles by
adopting this House resolution.
I commend the authors, and I thank the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr.
Bereuter) for the time.
Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his comments and
for his long interest in this subject and for his support today.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to my friend and
colleague, the gentleman from Guam (Mr. Underwood).
Mr. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California
(Mr. Lantos) for yielding. I also thank the gentleman from Nebraska
(Mr. Bereuter) and all of my colleagues for introducing this very
timely resolution calling for fair and free elections in Indonesia.
Mr. Speaker, as the westernmost territory of the United States, Guam
is the closest American neighbor to Indonesia and we are as concerned
as the rest of the Asian Pacific region regarding the plight of its
people. Indonesia is strategically located in the Pacific and controls
important waterways vital to our American interests. In addition, as
has been pointed out, it boasts the fourth largest population in the
world, as well as access to rich natural resources.
These factors ensure Indonesia's pivotal role in the Southeast Asian
region and the world. Its leadership roles in the Association of South
East Asian Nations, the ASEAN Regional Forum and APEC are testimonies
to its important role as a regional stabilizer.
We as Americans should always stand strong in support of democratic
processes throughout the world in small and large nations alike, but in
this particular instance, in Indonesia's instance, the stability of the
region depends upon seeing in place in Indonesia a country with a
functioning democracy which recognizes the rule of law and the will of
the people and which recognizes the ethnic diversity that is Indonesia,
and which also extends the benefits of its vast resources and economic
potential to all sectors of society. This is why free, fair and
transparent elections are critical during the June elections this year.
Triggered by the Asian financial crisis 2 years ago, we have seen the
fall of the authoritarian regime in Indonesia and the emergence of a
more active and vocal Indonesian electorate ready to take on the
responsibility of electing their officials.
H. Res. 32 calls for peaceful, transparent, fair and responsible
elections. I fully support this resolution, not only on behalf of
democracy but on behalf of national security and human rights, and I
would also like to take the opportunity to congratulate Indonesia for
going in the right direction on East Timor.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, before yielding time to my good friend and
colleague, the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee), let me call
the attention of all Members here to the extraordinary profile that the
New York Times ran on this remarkable Member of our body. I was very
proud and pleased to read the well-deserved accolades that the
gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee) received in the Times.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms.
Jackson-Lee), to speak on this issue.
(Ms. Jackson-Lee of Texas asked and was given permission to revise
and extend her remarks.)
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I guess I will take the same
number of seconds and minutes to thank my good friend, the gentleman
from California (Mr. Lantos), for what has been years and years of
commitment to this very important issue and as well his both legacy and
continuing service in the Congress.
Mr. Speaker, this is an important issue on human rights. Let me thank
the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Bereuter) for his leadership along,
with the gentleman from New York (Chairman Gilman), for continuously
being at the cutting edge of ensuring that the words that we speak here
on the Floor of the House are translated into our foreign policy and
foreign relations.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to enthusiastically support H. Res. 32, which I
think very succinctly calls upon the government of Indonesia to do
something that we in America have come to expect, whether it is our
local school bond election or city council elections, or whether or not
we are electing the President of the United States. We believe in
unfettered access to the right to elect those of our choice.
I believe this is an important statement to call upon the government
of Indonesia to enact election laws that ensure that the will of the
people is respected, both in the parliamentary elections scheduled for
June 7 and in the general session of the People's Consultive Assembly.
We are appealing to all of the political leaders and responsible
persons to strive to ensure that the campaign for peace remains
peaceful.
I am very much aware of the good works of our committee, that deals
in international relations, as it related to last week's elections in
Nigeria. It is important that we mix the concepts of foreign relations,
foreign policy, the idea of business exchange with the question of
human rights and the free access to democracy. If we had not done that
in years past, we would not have some of the stable situations going on
in places where democracy had not been heard of.
In instances where the Berlin Wall stood, it was our voices that
helped to bring it down, and so I would ask that we support H. Res. 32
and bring to Indonesia a friend, a shining democracy.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 32, calling for Open
Elections in Indonesia.
This body has been a fervent supporter of groups and nations, which
have chosen to embrace the principles and ideals of democracy.
A basic a tenant of our democracy has been the peaceful transition of
legislative and executive authority. Our nation and the world witness a
shinning example of this as every four years our nation holds a
presidential election. Despite the acrimony of the presidential
campaign, our nation has consistently transferred the power of the
presidency in a peaceful and fair manner.
The peaceful transition that has characterized American elections has
unfortunately not been the case in Indonesia.
Most casual observers would agree that Indonesia elections have been
problematic at best. In Indonesia, free and fair elections have been
replaced by anarchy, chaos, and the lack of recognition of
democratically elected officials.
Beginning with Indonesia's independence, through the Presidency of
Suharto, Indonesia's elections have been marred by violence.
The armed forces of Indonesia have been cited by human rights
observers for human rights abuses such as torture, extra-judicial
killings and the imprisonment of East Timorese advocating independence.
In light of these past abuses Mr. Speaker; it is poignant that this
Body urge the Indonesian government to conduct its upcoming elections
in a free and fair manner.
This Resolution would send a message to citizens, political parties,
and the military community that the viability of a democracy rests in
part on the respect with which this process is fulfilled.
These parties should adhere to the American model in carrying out
their elections, by conducting them in a free and fair manner. This
body stands ready to assist the Indonesians in the carrying forth of
the election process with any assistance necessary.
Mr. Speaker, I urge the members of this body to support this
resolution and assist the

[[Page H1040]]

Indonesian people in strengthen their democracy.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. LaTourette). Without objection, the
balance of the majority's time will be controlled by the gentleman from
New York (Mr. Gilman).
There was no objection.
Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to yield as much time as she
may consume to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi), a voice
for human rights in all of Asia and indeed in a global sense, my
colleague and neighbor from San Francisco, who has been a champion of
human rights ever since she joined us in this body. It has been with a
great deal of pleasure and pride that I have followed her incredibly
successful and articulate struggles for the rights of oppressed people
everywhere to live in freedom and decency.
Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I thank my distinguished colleague, the
gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos) for yielding the time, and for
his very, very generous remarks.
Mr. Speaker, I commend the makers of this resolution and rise in
support of it, but in doing so I first want to acknowledge the
considerable contribution of our colleague, the gentleman from
California (Mr. Lantos) to human rights throughout the world. Everyone
has known for a long time, certainly in our city and in the State of
California we have taken great pride in the leadership of the gentleman
from California (Mr. Lantos). Now the whole world knows more about
where his leadership and his drive on promoting human rights springs
from and, of course, it was his own experience in the Holocaust. He has
moral authority. He has knowledge. He has exercised leadership. So I am
honored to be recognized by him to speak on this important resolution.
This resolution urging free and fair elections in Indonesia is
important because promoting freedom, and free and fair elections, is
important, but also because Indonesia is in a fragile state at this
time.
It is just a matter of months since the fall of Soeharto and now
many, many parties, scores of political parties, are lining up for the
elections.
We have some issues, we have, some of us in this Congress, with
Indonesia, and that would be the resolution of the situation in East
Timor and that looks promising now; the situation in terms of the role
of the military in a civilian society, that was better before, has
worsened and hopefully these elections will return the military to its
appropriate role in a civilian society.
Most recently, there was concern in Congress, and it continues, on
the treatment of the ethnic Chinese population in Indonesia,
particularly with the rapes that happened of the Indonesian Chinese
women. Those are no longer alleged. They are admitted to in reports
from the government, and many of us in Congress have written to the
Indonesian government, to the President, urging that the disposition of
that issue be central to our relationship with the Indonesians.
We have concerns generally about human rights in Indonesia and also
about the conflicts between Muslims and Christians and how the
government is dealing with that. Nothing could create a better climate
for tolerance in the diverse country that Indonesia is than the
legitimacy of a free and fair election.
We anticipate that with great hope. We urge the Indonesian government
to do everything in its power to make sure the elections are free and
fair, and we look forward to working on many issues, some of which I
named here, with the newly-elected Indonesian government. That
includes, of course, the members of parliament there, too.
It is a very diverse country, as I have said. There are many, many,
many different fragments in Indonesia. The country could disintegrate
but I think that that prospect would be diminished greatly if the
elections were free and fair and the new government were legitimate and
was addressing some of the concerns I mentioned in terms of respecting
everyone in that diverse society, as well as respecting the appropriate
role of the military in a civilian society.
Again, I commend the leadership of the committee, the gentleman from
New York (Mr. Gilman), and the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Bereuter)
on the subcommittee, my colleague, the gentleman from California (Mr.
Lantos), and the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Gejdenson) for their
leadership in bringing this to this floor and I hope we will have a
unanimous vote in support of it.

{time} 1345

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the gentlewoman's observations.
We have no more requests for time.
Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I want to commend the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos) and the
Members who have spoken on the floor today in support of this
resolution. I thank the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi) for
her remarks.
I want to commend the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Bereuter), the
distinguished chairman of our Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific, for
introducing this timely resolution that calls for free, fair and
transparent elections in Indonesia, and I am proud to cosponsor this
resolution.
H. Res. 32 appropriately calls for free and fair elections in
Indonesia this June and supports the aspirations of the Indonesian
people for democratic elections and greater political freedom.
Indonesia is a country in transition, and I believe it is incumbent
upon our Nation, as a world-leading democracy, to provide the necessary
support to the Indonesian government and hopeful people of that large
country, to bring about credible elections, and we all recognize it is
not going to be any small task.
I also want to commend American NGOs, such as IRI, NDI and IFES, and
others, for the important work that they have been doing to try to
bring about a democratic transition in the world's fourth most populous
nation.
Finally, I would call upon all parties in Indonesia to refrain from
political, ethnic or religious violence. I hope we can achieve an
early, equitable and nonviolent resolution to the East Timor issue. I
would advocate continued reform in political, economic and social
arenas in Indonesia's society.
Indonesia is at a critical juncture in its history. Historic changes
have already taken place since President Soeharto stepped down last
year. It is our hope that we will soon welcome Indonesia into the
family of democratic nations after free and fair elections that will be
held there this summer. Accordingly, Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues
to adopt this measure, H.R. 32, in support of reform and democracy in
Indonesia.
Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 32, and
its goal of free and fair and transparent elections in Indonesia
beginning with the parliamentary elections on June 7. I would like to
point out however, that the resolution fails to mention the on-going
and extreme occurrences of human rights abuses on the part of the
Indonesian military in the areas of occupied East Timor and others.
Violations of human rights continue and it is critical that these
abuses are addressed as well as the need for a free and fair election.
Congress must continue to call on the U.S. administration and the
Indonesian government directly for the implementation of the
introduction of international monitors in East Timor, and disarming
paramilitary units that the Indonesian military arming and supporting.
Last week, Secretary of State, Albright visited with Xanana Gusmao in
Jakarta. At that time the Secretary said that ``We see an urgent need
to stabilize the situation through disarmament of all paramilitary
forces, as Xanana Gusmao has proposed and General Wiranto supports,''
and that ``We favor confidence-building measures, such as a reduction
in the number of troops, and an international presence to reduce the
prospects for future violence.'' It is critical that this Congress
follow through on these statements, and assure that the East Timorese
people are freed from Indonesian sponsored violence in addition to
supporting free and fair elections.
Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution.
The presidential election scheduled for June is the first election for
President since President Suharto stepped down last year. This is an
opportunity for Indonesia to move into a new era of stability and
prosperity.
Indonesia has been wracked by economic crisis. The international
community wants to help the Indonesian people recover from their
current economic difficulties. Indonesia has been, and should continue
to be, an important regional ally for the United States. However,
Indonesia's international reputation has been

[[Page H1041]]

tarnished by the Suharto government's brutal occupation of East Timor,
the grave human rights abuses committed by the Indonesian military in
East Timor and in Indonesia, its lack of respect for democracy and the
corrupt cronyism that enabled the economy to grow but disenfranchised
large portions of the population.
Thousands of brave Indonesians took the streets last year calling for
an end to the Buharto regime and the beginning of truly democratic
political system which allowed for multi-party participation. They were
tired of President Suharto's administration and its corruption. They
demanded free and fair elections. They deserve to have them. It is
their right to have them.
This is an opportunity for Indonesia to follow the way of Taiwan,
South Korea, and the Philippines, Asian countries who have successfully
transformed themselves into pluralistic, multi-party democracies.
President Habibie has every incentive to make the June elections as
free and as fair as international standards dictate. If he does so and
continues to take steps to resolve the crisis in East Timor in a manner
that respects the wishes and views of the people of East Timor,
Indonesia's reputation will be enhanced and the international community
will have great incentive to embrace the new government. There are many
good benefits that can come from this--both for the Indonesian
government and for the Indonesian people. The key is in the hands of
the Habibie government. By the manner in which they conduct the June
elections, they hold the key to the future stability and prosperity of
Indonesia.
I commend Mr. Bereuter and Mr. Lantos for sponsoring this resolution.
I urge my colleagues to support it.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Bereuter) that the House suspend the rules
and agree to the resolution, House Resolution 32.
The question was taken.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be
postponed until tomorrow.

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