[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 68 (Thursday, May 23, 2002)]
[Senate]
[Page S4828]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                               EAST TIMOR

  Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, this week, East Timor became the first 
new nation of the 21st century.
  This breathtaking milestone is the culmination of a long and violent 
road to independence for the East Timorese people. Portugal ruled East 
Timor for over 400 years before pulling out in August 1975. East Timor 
was independent for just four months before it was invaded by Indonesia 
in December that year. The U.N. General Assembly and Security Council 
strongly condemned the invasion and never recognized Indonesian 
sovereignty over East Timor.
  After two decades of unrest, former Indonesian President B.J. Habibie 
finally agreed to a referendum in January 1999. In August that year, 
the people of East Timor voted overwhelmingly in favor of independence 
from Indonesia, and they did so at great personal risk. Before, during, 
and after the vote, the Indonesian military and anti-independence 
militia groups killed more than a thousand people and displaced 
thousands more, hoping to intimidate the independence movement.
  Although the militias succeeded in destroying seventy percent of East 
Timor's infrastructure, they failed to derail East Timor's desire for 
freedom. Ninety-eight percent of the Timorese population turned out to 
vote on Election Day. The people of East Timor subsequently elected a 
Constitutional Assembly and, on April 14, 2002, they elected Xanana 
Gusmao as their first President.
  As East Timor at long last takes its rightful place in the 
international family of nations, it is a time of great hopes. But it is 
also a time of great challenges. East Timor is rebuilding itself from 
ashes following 24 years of Indonesian rule, and her people have 
substantial economic needs. According to the United Nations Development 
Program, East Timor is the poorest country in Asia and one of the 20 
poorest nations in the world. Almost half of East Timor's population 
lives on less than 55 cents a day and nearly 60 percent are illiterate. 
The unemployment rate is 80 percent.
  The most pressing needs are the problems of poverty and economic 
growth and the building of solid democratic institutions that can deal 
with the challenges East Timor will face. Our country must show the 
East Timorese that we will support the efforts of the world's newest 
democracy. It is a unique opportunity to do it correctly from the 
start.
  America's embassy in Dili is up and running, but it is being run by a 
Charge d'Affairs. To show maximum support and ensure that our 
commitment to assisting East Timor is strong, an Ambassador to East 
Timor should be nominated immediately.
  The Peace Corps Director is already based in Dili, and the first 
group of volunteers should be in East Timor in June. To ensure that the 
Peace Corps will succeed in providing appropriate health and education 
assistance, we must ensure that the Peace Corps in East Timor receive 
the financial resources it needs.
  Our Nation can also assist East Timor on the road to economic 
development by promoting trade in promising industries. The 
administration should introduce the tools and programs to facilitate 
trade and investment in East Timor--such as the Generalized System of 
Preferences--soon.
  East Timor is also developing its armed forces. Australia and 
Portugal are leading the effort in providing training for the new 
military. The U.S. and other regional countries are providing some 
technical assistance. To help professionalize the army and promote 
human rights, the United States should provide excess defense materials 
and international military education and training. Additionally, 
America should keep our peacekeepers in the international force in East 
Timor until the UN determines that its mission is complete. The U.S. 
should also maintain the humanitarian assistance through the U.S. Group 
in East Timor, USGET, with regularly scheduled ship visits that have 
played a vital role in rebuilding schools and orphanages and providing 
basic health care.
  Finally, the United States must reiterate its interest in ensuring 
that members of the Indonesian military are held accountable for the 
1999 atrocities in East Timor. The East Timorese need to know not only 
that their concerns have been heard, but also that the United States is 
committed to upholding high standards of democracy and justice.
  The people of East Timor have chosen democracy. This is an important 
opportunity for the United States to ensure that the East Timorese 
people are part of one of the world's great success stories. We have 
seen the risks of failed states in places like Afghanistan and Somalia. 
Failure in East Timor cannot be an option.

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