[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 129 (Wednesday, September 29, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Pages S11651-S11652]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  SENATE RESOLUTION 191--EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE SENATE REGARDING 
    EAST TIMOR AND SUPPORTING THE MULTINATIONAL FORCE FOR EAST TIMOR

  Mr. HARKIN (for himself, Mr. Conrad, Mr. Moynihan, Mr. Schumer, Mr. 
Lieberman, Mr. Leahy, Mr. Chafee, Mr. Kennedy, Mr. Feingold, and Mrs. 
Murray) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
Committee on Foreign Relations:

                              S. Res. 191

       Whereas on May 5, 1999, the Governments of Portugal and 
     Indonesia and the United Nations signed an agreement that 
     provided for an August 8, 1999, ballot organized by the 
     United Nations on the political status of East Timor;
       Whereas the agreement gave the people of East Timor an 
     opportunity to accept a proposed special autonomy for East 
     Timor within the unitary Republic of Indonesia or reject the 
     special autonomy and opt for independence;
       Whereas on August 30, 1999, 78.5 percent of the people in 
     East Timor voted for independence;
       Whereas after the voting was concluded, the militias in 
     East Timor intensified their ongoing campaign of terror;
       Whereas it has been reported that thousands of people have 
     been killed and injured since the violence began in East 
     Timor;
       Whereas the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees 
     (UNHCR) has reported that as many as 200,000 of East Timor's 
     residents have been forced to flee East Timor;
       Whereas it has been reported that East Timor militias are 
     controlling the refugee camps in West Timor, intimidating the 
     refugees and denying access to the UNHCR, relief agencies, 
     and other humanitarian nongovernmental organizations;
       Whereas it has been reported that a systematic campaign of 
     political assassinations that targeted religious, student, 
     and political leaders, aid workers, and others has taken 
     place;
       Whereas the compound of the United Nations Mission in East 
     Timor (UNAMET) was besieged and fired upon, access to food, 
     water, and electricity was intentionally cut off, and UNAMET 
     personnel have been killed, forcing the closure of the UNAMET 
     mission in East Timor;
       Whereas Catholic leaders and lay people have been targeted 
     for killing and churches have been burned in East Timor; and
       Whereas on September 12, 1999, Indonesian President B.J. 
     Habibie announced that Indonesia would allow a United Nations 
     Security Council authorized multinational force into East 
     Timor: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate hereby--
       (1) congratulates the people of East Timor for their heroic 
     vote on August 30, 1999;
       (2) commends the United Nations Security Council for 
     passing Resolution 1264 authorizing a multinational force to 
     address the security situation in East Timor;
       (3) expresses support for a rapid and effective deployment 
     throughout East Timor by the multinational force;
       (4) commends Australia for its readiness to lead the 
     multinational force for East Timor and welcomes the 
     participation of other nations in this force, especially 
     Asian participation;
       (5) expresses approval for the United States to assist in 
     this effort in an appropriate manner;
       (6) commends the professionalism, determination, and 
     courage of the United Nations Mission in East Timor (UNAMET) 
     personnel;
       (7) recognizes the overwhelming expression of the people of 
     East Timor in favor of independence;
       (8) condemns the violent efforts of the East Timor militias 
     and elements of the Indonesian military to overturn the 
     results of the August 30, 1999, vote;
       (9) notes the failure of the Government of Indonesia, 
     despite repeated assurances to the contrary, to guarantee the 
     security of the people of East Timor and further notes that 
     is the responsibility of the Government of Indonesia to 
     restrain elements of the Indonesian military and paramilitary 
     forces and restore order in East Timor;
       (10) calls upon the Government of Indonesia to recognize 
     its responsibilities as a member of the United Nations and a 
     signatory to the Universal Declaration of Human

[[Page S11652]]

     Rights to cooperate with appropriate United Nations 
     authorities in the restoration order in East Timor;
       (11) urges the Government of Indonesia to allow 
     unrestricted access to refugees and displaced persons in West 
     Timor by UNHRC and other relief agencies and to guarantee 
     their security; and
       (12) calls upon the Government of Indonesia to hold 
     accountable those responsible for the violence, human rights 
     abuses and atrocities and to cooperate with the international 
     community in establishing an international commission of 
     inquiry to investigate human rights abuses in East Timor as a 
     first step in bringing to justice those responsible.

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