[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 115 (Wednesday, September 8, 1999)]
[House]
[Page H7891]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        THE CRISIS IN EAST TIMOR

  (Mr. UNDERWOOD asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. UNDERWOOD. Madam Speaker, a tragedy has occurred and is occurring 
at the hands of Indonesia. The people of East Timor are people that 
have been subjected to the colonial yoke for over 325 years finally 
lifted their destiny up from the ashes of oppression and voted for the 
very first time in history to become an independent Nation. But all of 
this has been tarnished by the reprehensible inaction by the 
administering government of Indonesia. Jakarta has missed a golden 
opportunity to prove the world wrong, that the multi-cultural fabric of 
Indonesian society could peacefully withstand a sovereignty movement in 
one of her incorporated colonies. Sadly, the skeptics were right. Pro-
Indonesia militias have been on a bloody rampage since the voting 
results were announced, and what has Jakarta done? Nothing. Thus it 
appears that the Indonesian authorities want to punish the East 
Timorese for exercising their inalienable right to self-determination 
despite promising to provide law and order regardless of the outcome.
  The time has come, Madam Speaker, to defend liberty. Our government 
must condemn the violence in East Timor and the Indonesian government 
for allowing it to happen. The United States must insist that a 
multinational peacekeeping force be granted entry to East Timor to 
restore order, peace and hope. Liberty, the principle of self-
determination must not be allowed to be casualties at the hands of 
Indonesian forces.

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