[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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