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East Timor ACTION Network ALERTStop Congressional Support for Lethal Indonesian MilitaryThis Week Make 3 Phone Calls This WeekImmediately after returning from this week’s Memorial Day recess, Congress will finish the FY02 Supplemental Appropriations bill and begin work on the FY03 Foreign Operations Appropriations Act. Using the ”war on terrorism” as a justification, the Bush administration is working hard to make sure that both bills contain substantial military assistance for Indonesia and few or no restrictions on military aid. Contact your Representative and Senators this week. Tell them that U.S. military training and weapons are not solutions to Indonesia’s problems. Such assistance will only worsen Indonesia’s deteriorating human rights situation, set back democratic reform, and provide a U.S. seal of approval to an Indonesian military that continues to attack and terrorize civilians and strongly resists accountability for crimes against humanity committed in East Timor. Fax or Phone your Representative and Senators. Tell them to use their voice and vote in Congress to make sure that:
Phone calls and faxes are generally more effective than email. The congressional switchboard number is 202-224-3121 (ask for the office of your Senators or Representative), or check http://www.congress.org on the Internet for fax or e-mail information. BACKGROUND The U.S. Navy is conducting a joint military training exercise with the Indonesian Navy in Surabaya and East Java from May 27 to June 2. This annual Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) exercise is justified as a humanitarian exercise. In 1999, a similar exercise took place just prior to East Timor’s independence referendum. Soon after, the Indonesian Navy was assisting in the looting and destruction of East Timor. Participating U.S. ships were soon backing up the international peacekeeping operation. Just prior to this year’s independence ceremonies in East Timor, the Indonesian Navy sailed several heavily-armed warships into the Dili harbor in violation of clear agreements with the United Nations and the East Timorese government. This audacious display signaled that the Indonesian military not only refuses to fully recognize East Timor’s independence, but can not be trusted to live up to its agreements. In the fall of 1999, the U.S. Congress cut off IMET and FMF for Indonesia until it meets certain conditions pertaining to East Timor, including the return to East Timor of refugees and accountability for human rights violations in East Timor and Indonesia. In 2002 further conditions were added pertaining to Indonesian military reform; UN and other international organization access to West Timor, Aceh, West Papua, and Maluku; and the release of political detainees. Conditions on these restrictions, known as the “Leahy Conditions,” must be renewed annually in the Foreign Operations Appropriations Act. The Bush administration and their friends in Congress are trying to remove these restrictions from the FY03 Foreign Operations Appropriations bill. For more information, see April 10 action alert entitled, “"Just Say No" To New Military Assistance For Indonesia,” on www.etan.org. Please let us know the results of your calls and faxes. Send results to John M. Miller, john@etan.org, 718-596-7668 (tel.). JOIN ETAN's DC LOBBY DAYS Come to Washington for ETAN's Lobby Days. The Lobby Days this year - June 9 to 11 - is taking place at the crucial time immediately before full-scale work on the annual Foreign Operations Appropriations bill begins in the House and Senate. The timing couldn't be better. It is this bill that contains restrictions on military assistance for Indonesia, as well as provisions for economic assistance for East Timor. see http://etan.org/news/2002a/05ldays.htm Please contact Stefanie Collins or Karen Orenstein in ETAN's Washington office to let us know you are coming and for more information, 202-544-6911, princessleiaorgana21@yahoo.com.
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