[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 107 (Tuesday, July 27, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Page S9397]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




SENATE RESOLUTION 166--RELATING TO THE RECENT ELECTIONS IN THE REPUBLIC 
                              OF INDONESIA

  Mr. THOMAS submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
the Committee on Foreign Relations:

                              S. Res. 166

       Whereas the Republic of Indonesia is the world's fourth 
     most populous country, has the world's largest Muslim 
     population, and is the second largest country in East Asia;
       Whereas Indonesia has played an increasingly important 
     leadership role in maintaining the security and stability of 
     Southeast Asia, especially through its participation in the 
     Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN);
       Whereas in response to the wishes of the people of 
     Indonesia, President Suharto resigned on May 21, 1998, in 
     accordance with Indonesia's constitutional processes;
       Whereas the government of his successor, President 
     Bacharuddin J. Habibie, has pursued a transition to genuine 
     democracy, establishing a new governmental structure, and 
     developing a new political order;
       Whereas President Habibie signed several bills governing 
     elections, political parties, and the structure of 
     legislative bodies into law on February 1, 1999, and 
     scheduled the first truly democratic national election since 
     1955;
       Whereas on June 7, 1999, elections were held for the Dewan 
     Perwakilan Rakyat (DPR) which, despite some irregularities, 
     were deemed to be free, fair, and transparent according to 
     international and domestic observers;
       Whereas over 100 million people, more than ninety percent 
     of Indonesia's registered voters, participated in the 
     election, demonstrating the Indonesian people's dedication to 
     democracy;
       Whereas the ballot counting process has been completed and 
     the unofficial results announced;
       Whereas the official results will be announced in the near 
     future, and it is expected by all parties that the official 
     results will mirror the unofficial results; and
       Whereas Indonesia's military has indicated that it will 
     abide by the results of the election; Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate:
       (1) congratulates the people of Indonesia on carrying out 
     the first free, fair, and transparent national elections in 
     forty-four years;
       (2) supports the aspirations of the Indonesian people in 
     pursuing a transition to genuine democracy;
       (3) calls upon all Indonesian leaders, political party 
     members, military personnel, and the general public to 
     respect the outcome of the elections, and to uphold that 
     outcome pending the selection of the new President by the 
     Majelis Permusyawaratan Rakyat (MPR) later this year;
       (4) calls for the convening of the MPR and the selection of 
     the next President as soon as practicable under Indonesian 
     law in order to reduce the impact of continued uncertainty on 
     the country's political stability and to enhance the 
     prospects for the country's economic recovery;
       (5) calls upon the present ruling Golkar party to work 
     closely with any successor government in assuring a smooth 
     transition to a new government; and
       (6) urges the present government, and any new government, 
     to continue to work to ensure a stable and secure environment 
     in East Timor by:
       (A) assisting in disarming and disbanding any militias on 
     the island;
       (B) granting full access to East Timor to groups such as 
     the United Nations, international humanitarian organizations, 
     human rights monitors, and similar nongovernmental 
     organizations;
       (C) upholding its commitment to cooperate fully with the 
     United Nations Assistance Mission for East Timor (UNAMET).

                          ____________________