| Subject: CONG: House statements on
resolution congratulating ET
see also press
release and text of resolution
(House of Representatives - May 21, 2002)
No. 66--Part II
[Page: H2739]
House of Representatives
COMMEMORATING INDEPENDENCE OF AND EXPRESSING SENSE OF CONGRESS THAT THE
PRESIDENT SHOULD ESTABLISH DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH EAST TIMOR
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and
agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 405) commemorating the
independence of East Timor and expressing the sense of Congress that the
President should establish diplomatic relations with East Timor , as
amended.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New
Jersey (Mr. Smith) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith).
GENERAL LEAVE
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all
Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend
their remarks and include extraneous material on H. Con. Res. 405.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from New Jersey?
There was no objection.
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, just let me say at the outset, I want to welcome the Bais
Faiga Lakewood school eighth grade students who are here and Mrs. Faigy
Uhr, who is the assistant principal, notwithstanding the admonishment from
the Speaker, and let them know how welcome they are to be here today.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to extend my congratulations in support of the
brave and courageous people of East Timor . Yesterday May 20, 2002, was
their independence day. East Timor is now officially the first new nation
of the third millennium.
The people of East Timor have every right, Mr. Speaker, to be proud of
their newly won independence, because their road to freedom was long and
arduous, full of intense suffering and death. It entailed not only 400
years of colonial rule, but also 24 years of brutal military occupation by
Indonesia that included massacres, forced sterilization, and attempts at
cultural annihilation.
Indonesia's tyrannical rule over East Timor reached its zenith during
the 1999 Scorched Earth campaign conducted by the Indonesian-backed
militia with ties to the Indonesian military. Women were beaten and raped,
families were separated, and nearly three-fourths of the nation's
infrastructure was destroyed. According to U.N. estimates, over 500,000
people were displaced.
Against tremendous odds, however, the brave people of East Timor
persevered and triumphed. Despite terror, beatings and threats from the
Indonesian military, the East Timorese people overwhelmingly chose
independence in August of 1999. Ninety-eight percent of the eligible
population voted, and almost eight out of ten chose independence.
Under almost 3 years of U.N. guidance, they continually embraced
democracy with very high voter turnouts, electing an assembly in August of
2001 and on April 14, their first President, their heroic independence
leader, Xanana Gusmao.
Mr. Speaker, when I was chairman of the Subcommittee on International
Operations and Human Rights, my good friend, the gentleman from California
(Mr. Lantos), and I worked on held hearings on Indonesia and East Timor .
[Time: 13:00]
I had the privilege of joining Joseph Reese, the general counsel and
staff director of the subcommittee, on a visit with Xanana Gusmao in
Cipinang prison. I was struck by his sense of poise. He radiated strength
and confidence. I was struck by his determination, and his fervent belief
that one day East Timor would be an independent, free state where
democracy would flourish. I found that even the warden of that prison in
Jakarta had an enormous amount of respect and admiration for this man who
is now president.
Mr. Speaker, I introduced this resolution, H. Con. Res. 405, and I am
very proud that the distinguished Democratic leader, the gentleman from
California (Mr. Lantos), also a cosponsor, along with the gentleman from
Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern), the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Wolf), the
gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Frank), and the gentleman from Rhode
Island (Mr. Kennedy ) and other Members of this body who have joined us in
this effort to say, in a bipartisan way, congratulations on a job well
done. I especially want to thank Chairman Henry Hyde for both his strong
support of this resolution and his indefatigable and tenacious promotion
of human rights everywhere.
Mr. Speaker, while our resolution commemorates East Timor's
independence, it also addresses the serious challenges this new nation
faces. It is not going to be easy. These include development of a stable
economy, holding accountable those who carried out crimes against humanity
and the crime of genocide during Indonesia's reign of terror, and caring
for those many victims who still suffer tremendously from the scars of war
and poverty.
Obviously, the United States has an interest, Mr. Speaker, in ensuring
that those who carried out war crimes are brought to justice. Crimes
committed against the East Timorese have been well documented by the
United Nations and other international organizations, yet most of their
perpetrators reside in Indonesia with impunity, while the Indonesian
government fails to cooperate with the international justice system.
Indonesia refuses, for example, to extradite alleged war criminals, and
the jurisdiction of its own ad hoc tribunal is so severely limited that
Indonesian human rights advocates seriously doubt whether the most
egregious violators of human rights will be brought to justice. H. Con.
Res. 405 expresses deep concern over the lack of justice in the region,
and calls on the President to use all diplomatic resources necessary to
ensure that those responsible for these grave human rights abuses are held
accountable.
Similarly, given the well-documented linkages between human rights
abuse in East Timor and the Indonesian military, our resolution expresses
the need for continued restrictions on U.S. military assistance and
training for Indonesia's military in the Foreign Operations Appropriation
Act for fiscal year 2003.
Mr. Speaker, the humanitarian needs of the East Timorese people are as
great as anyone in the world. U.S. foreign aid dollars can do much to
assist East Timor in developing agricultural programs, building solid
education, health care, and judicial systems, aiding refugees, and
repairing the country's infrastructure. Our resolution expresses our hope
that Congress and the President will adamantly support these endeavors.
I would point out that in fiscal year 2001 and fiscal year 2002,
Congress approved approximately $25 million in aid to East Timor . The
President's request for 2003 is about $19 million, and my hope is that we
can work together with the President in making sure that that which is
needed, and it will probably be more than that, the $19 million, will be
made available.
Mr. Speaker, several amendments to the original resolution have been
submitted today. These amendments commend the President for immediately
establishing diplomatic relations with East Timor and include other
technical changes made for the sake of clarity.
Finally, Mr. Speaker, let me say that, as Americans, we will forever
honor the brave leaders who founded our Nation by fighting valiantly for
freedom and democracy, the great ideals we cherish so greatly. They guided
a revolution based on these ideals that is continued on through the ages
in so many places throughout the world and, in our time, it has been so
ably displayed, so nobly, by the East Timorese. The desire to live in
freedom cannot be extinguished, and they are again another people who have
risen to that challenge to say we will be free.
Again, I want to congratulate the people and also especially President
Gusmao on their independence, because they have set another example for
those who continue to live under dictatorship to follow.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution,
and I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, first, I would like to commend my good friend and
distinguished colleague, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith), for
introducing this important resolution, as well as my colleagues, the
gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern), the gentleman from Virginia
(Mr. Wolf), the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Frank), and the
gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Kennedy) for their leadership roles in
moving it forward.
Mr. Speaker, when the Indonesian military invaded East Timor in 1975,
it seemed that the hope of the East Timorese people to live in freedom and
with dignity had been extinguished forever. Those who subsequently spent
more than 2 decades fighting for East Timor's independence, both in East
Timor and internationally, were dismissed as hopeless dreamers. East Timor
was gone, the argument went, and the United States Congress,
nongovernmental organizations, and others were only causing unnecessary
tension in our relationship with Indonesia by continuing to fight for
justice.
I might point out, Mr. Speaker, that it was our Congressional Human
Rights Caucus which held the first hearing on the outrages against East
Timorese and spoke out for independence and freedom and religious freedom
in East Timor .
Well, Mr. Speaker, standing up for human rights and democracy in East
Timor was the right and moral course of action and, as a result of the
bravery of the East Timorese people and concerted international pressure,
we stand here today welcoming East Timor as the first new nation of the
new millennium.
When the United Nations first entered East Timor in the brutal
aftermath of the 1999 independence referendum, they found burned-out
buildings, a devastated infrastructure, and hundreds of thousands of
refugees who desperately wanted to return home. Many questioned whether
the international community and the United Nations were up to the task of
nation-building.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to report that the U.N.'s record in East
Timor since October 1999 demonstrates the relevance of the United Nations
when it is not blinded by mindless hostility to the state of Israel. I
want to pay special tribute to our friends in Australia who led the
International Security Force that enabled East Timor to be created.
Mr. Speaker, all this was accomplished in slightly over 2 years. The
resolution before us today not only welcomes East Timor into the community
of nations, but also expresses strong congressional support for the United
Nations' peacekeeping forces, which are safeguarding East Timor's
security.
Some administration officials recently threatened to hold up the
renewal of the enormously successful East Timor peacekeeping mission
because of professed concerns regarding the International Criminal Court.
I am very pleased that with the passage of this resolution, Congress is
standing strongly in support of the U.N. mission which does include U.S.
personnel.
There is much work left to be done, Mr. Speaker. The House has already
approved the East Timor Transition to Independence Act, legislation I
introduced last year, to guide the U.S. political security and economic
relationship with East Timor in the coming years. Our bill will ensure
that the United States provides the foreign assistance and investment that
East Timor so desperately needs, as well as help in establishing adequate
armed forces so it can defend its own borders. I hope that our legislation
will be signed into law as part of the State Department authorization bill
in the very near future.
Mr. Speaker, I strongly believe that East Timor has a bright future.
East Timor citizens have a democratic government; they enjoy the rule of
law; they have the support of the international community and the strong
desire to succeed. I am confident that the United States will have a
strong friend in East Timor's people and its government. I strongly
support H. Con. Res. 405, and I urge all of my colleagues to do so.
Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from
Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer), my good friend and distinguished colleague.
Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the gentleman's courtesy in
yielding me this time.
One of the most inspirational moments that I enjoyed as a Member of
this body was meeting with now-President Gusmao when he was in prison in
Jakarta in Indonesia, having an opportunity to join with some of my
congressional colleagues to give, hopefully, in a small way, testimony of
support and interest in this struggle of a gentleman who is one of great
courage, great dignity, and insight, and to see what has transpired in the
course of the last couple of years.
The gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos) outlined the focus of the
people around the world who have been engaged in this. I was struck by the
dozens of people in Oregon, this little State on the West Coast, where
there were people that invested personally in this, who traveled, who
ministered to the people, who helped with humanitarian efforts, and helped
to put the world spotlight on the atrocities that were occurring there; to
be able to reflect on the dozens of people who sacrificed their lives
simply to vote on behalf of independence.
I am having an Election Day in my State today, Mr. Speaker. Oregon is a
State where we send out the ballots to people, they get it in their home,
they can vote at their leisure, drop it into mailbox. No risk, no harm.
Luckily, maybe we will have 25 percent, 30 percent of the people dealing
with issues that are so critical to the future of our community.
In contrast, I think about what happened in East Timor where people
literally gave their lives to be able to cast a vote to move that country
towards democracy.
I am hopeful, Mr. Speaker, that we will move forward. This resolution
today is a symbol of our efforts to be focused on making sure that we
finish the job on behalf of the people in East Timor ; that we continue to
be a strong friend, a supporter; that we help provide with the rest of the
international community some modicum of resources to help them rebuild
this shattered country and, last but not least, that this is a signal that
we will continue to engage the country of Indonesia.
Sadly, Indonesia at times appears to be defined by basically the
concept of whatever the Dutch ruled 50 years ago is an appropriate nation
state. Well, there are issues that are going on in Irian Jaya, in Atjeh,
that will test whether that vast country is going to be able to adopt a
system to deal with those individual differences.
What we have seen in East Timor is that one can make a modest
adjustment and not have the whole country spun apart, but it also means
that the United States is going to have to continue to be engaged.
It was my privilege to journey to Indonesia with my colleague, the
gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Bereuter), whom I see on the floor, who
helped lead this effort, along with the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Kolbe
), and it underscored the need for us to be vigilant for these needs in
Southeast Asia, in Indonesia, helping the transition. It is not just East
Timor , but it is really the stability of this vast stretch of the world
that is a source of problems with terrorism, problems of threats to the
environment, and governmental instability, and I hope this is a chapter of
how we can do it right.
[Time: 13:15]
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 1 minute.
Again, Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from Illinois (Mr.
Hyde ), chairman of the Committee on International Relations, for his
leadership in bringing this resolution to the floor today. Without his
personal and strong support, there would not be a resolution.
But that is only the half of it. I have been in Congress now 22 years,
Mr. Speaker, and I have known Chairman HYDE all those years. He is a
champion of human rights anywhere and everywhere. Including East Timor .
He is also a champion in the cause of promoting the sanctity of life
wherever and whenever it is threatened.
East Timor , finally, Mr. Speaker, has an extraordinary future. Its
leadership has overcome incredible odds, and they
[Page: H2742]
possess an indomitable spirit and an enormous amount of courage. Our
prayers and hopes are with President Gusmao and Nobel Peace Prize winner
Bishop Belo and so many others who are now on the cutting edge of ensuring
that a beleaguered population which has suffered so much finally enjoys
the blessings of liberty and freedom.
Mr. Speaker, I yield the balance of my time to the gentleman from
Nebraska (Mr. Bereuter) and ask unanimous consent that he be permitted to
control the time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Linder). Is there objection to the request
of the gentleman from New Jersey?
There was no objection.
Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to yield 4 minutes to my
good friend and distinguished colleague, the gentleman from Massachusetts
(Mr. McGovern).
Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California (Mr.
Lantos) for yielding time to me. I also want to thank him for his strong
advocacy for human rights, and especially in East Timor .
I also want to acknowledge the leadership of the gentleman from New
Jersey (Mr. Smith); and I, too, appreciate his long leadership on behalf
of the people of East Timor . I want to thank the leadership of this
House, including the gentleman from Illinois (Chairman Hyde), for helping
to move this bill to the floor in such a timely manner.
Mr. Speaker, May 20 was a day of celebration when the people of East
Timor joined the international community as a sovereign, independent
nation. This bill congratulates and honors the courage of the East
Timorese people and calls upon the United States and the international
community to provide the necessary resources to help develop this
fledgling nation.
As many of my colleagues know, the Bush administration announced
yesterday that the United States will open a full embassy in Dili, which
is the capital of East Timor . This bill commends the administration for
this important act.
In September of 1999, the people of East Timor voted for their
independence. I had the great privilege to be in East Timor 10 days before
this historic referendum took place. I witnessed the escalating violence
and the intimidation against the people and the voters of East Timor .
I traveled to the area bordering West Timor to the communities of Suai
and Maliana. In Suai, I met with Father Hilario Madeira and Father
Francisco Soares, who were protecting nearly 2,000 people in the compound
of their church. These were people hoping to participate in this historic
vote for independence.
These people introduced me to their world, one filled with worry and
tension and daily violence; yet they were filled with hope and looked
forward to voting for their independence. Ten days later, the East
Timorese people went to the polls. Over 78 percent voted for independence.
Their courage and commitment to freedom were met with a deliberate and
planned campaign of slaughter. Father Hilario and Father Francisco are not
with us today to celebrate East Timor's entry into the community of
nations. Rampaging militias following the 1999 vote murdered them and most
of the others who were seeking refuge in their church.
As we vote today to honor the courage and spirit of the East Timorese
people, I want to also remember and honor all of the East Timorese whose
lives were lost during the long decades of struggle to make East Timor
free. I want to remember and honor these two dedicated priests who died
protecting their people.
The subsequent rebuilding of East Timor demonstrates how vital it is
that the international community, especially the United States, remain
involved and engaged in East Timor . East Timor faces many challenges,
including the economic development of the country, establishing an
effective judicial system, and securing the safe return of those refugees
still held in camps in West Timor .
The international community, along with East Timor , must also find a
way to bring to justice those accountable for the campaign of violence
leading up to and following the 1999 referendum.
This resolution calls upon the United States and other nations to
provide East Timor with the necessary resources and support to
successfully meet these challenges.
Nobel Peace Laureate Bishop Carlos Belo has called upon the
international community to increase the level of development aid to help
his country through its first years. I hope that this Congress will
respond to Bishop Belo's call and increase our own levels of aid.
Mr. Speaker, in closing, let me also pay tribute to the many human
rights activists in the United States and around the world who refused to
let the East Timorese struggle fade from our memory. They also deserve our
praise on this special day. My prayers and my good wishes are also with
President Gusmao and the people of East Timor .
Mr. Speaker, this is a proud time for East Timor , and I urge my
colleagues to support this bill.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to my good
friend, the gentleman from Guam (Mr. Underwood).
(Mr. UNDERWOOD asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague, the gentleman from
California, for yielding me the time.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Concurrent Resolution 405
commemorating the independence of East Timor .
I would also like to take the opportunity to commend the leadership of
the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith) for his support of the
resolution, and to thank our colleagues, the gentleman from Rhode Island
(Mr. Kennedy) and the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Bereuter), for their
unyielding support and leadership in the effort by the East Timorese in
their struggle for independence.
Yesterday, May 20, 2002, marked the celebration of the birth of the
world's newest democracy and is a triumph of the full exercise of the
unalienable right of self-determination. It is also a triumph for the work
of the United Nations in seeking the right of self-determination for
non-self-governing territories. East Timor , like my home island of Guam,
has been on the list of the U.N. list of non-self-governing territories.
As has been already recounted, East Timor had been annexed by Indonesia
for nearly 2 decades, until September of 1999. In 1999, the East Timorese
exercised their voice for freedom by overwhelmingly voting in favor of
independence from Indonesia, despite all the terrible things that the
Indonesian Government was doing, officially and unofficially, to dissuade
them from that effort.
Today we join in our support for East Timor , which has become the
first new country of the millenium and stands as a beacon of democratic
values. East Timor had been under U.N. administration since October 1999,
during which time international peacekeeping forces, supplemented by the
forces of the U.S. Group for East Timor , have worked to stabilize East
Timor and provide for its national security.
The international community and the U.S. Congress have been active and
vocal in their support for the political freedom of the East Timorese. As
the Member who represents the closest U.S. jurisdiction to East Timor ,
the independence is of special interest to our region.
There is much work to be done. There is the need to help them mature as
a democracy. Mr. Speaker, I urge Members to continue their support for the
new East Timorese government and urge that the resolution be passed
unanimously.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to my good
friend and distinguished colleague, the gentleman from Washington (Mr.
McDermott).
Mr. McDERMOTT. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding time to
me.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in joining to celebrate this event. It is a
wonderful event to see people determine what they want to be and have the
opportunity to become independent.
But there is a cautionary tale here. There are not very many of us in
this House who were here when the Indonesians marched in and took East
Timor . And we did not do anything
[Page: H2743]
then. We let that happen because we felt that our relationship with Mr.
Sukharno or whomever was such an important thing that we were not going to
tell them that we did not approve of what they were doing to the East
Timorese.
Only because of human rights activists in this country has that issue
been alive at all. They are to be commended. Sometimes they think that
they are not heard, they think no one is paying attention, but in fact we
have come to the point where in fact Congress actually supported the East
Timorese in becoming independent. It happened because grassroots people
had a desire to make this wrongness right, or right this wrong, and they
did it by talking to their Members of Congress.
We as Americans have to think carefully about what kinds of decisions
we make in order to keep a certain leader in place in a certain place,
when we have other concerns at the same time about the people who are
experiencing that leadership. It is a very difficult task that the United
States has, but we cannot overlook what is happening at something like
East Timor . We did for almost 20 years, until it got out of control.
Then, the Australians took the lead, and we are grateful for that, and we
followed.
I think that it is a happy day for everybody who lives in East Timor ,
but it is not over. They still have a long way to go in developing their
economy.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I
yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I want to commend the sponsors of this legislation for
bringing it to us here today. We do commend and congratulate East Timor on
their independence.
The gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer) reminded me of the time when
we met Mr. Gusmao in prison; he was very obviously a very calm, and
distinguished man. We knew that, given an opportunity, he could lead his
home region of East Timor when it became a nation.
East Timor is not a wealthy country, and that is stating the obvious.
They have very few developed resources. The devastation that was brought
to the infrastructure of the country means they have an even worse
condition. Therefore, the international community, with the United States
playing a significant part, does need to assist East Timor in these early
days of its nationhood.
Hopefully, the agreement now concluded between Australia and East Timor
with respect to potential offshore oil will be a source of revenue that is
very important to that country's continued prosperity. We certainly hope
that is the case.
In any case, I believe that the independence of East Timor can now lead
us to improved relations with Indonesia. The East Timor problem certainly
had a negative effect upon our relationship, and understandably so. But I
would suggest that we have taken a step in the right direction by
supporting independence for East Timor . Certainly we wish them the very
best in their independence.
* [Begin Insert]
Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Con. Res. 405, an
act which congratulates the people of East Timor on the occasion of their
national independence and establishes official U.S. relations with the new
country.
We, in the United States, should take proper account of the enormous
accomplishment East Timor independence represents, and with great
humility, honestly recognize America's role in the suppression of East
Timor .
The United States government was not a reliable ally of the Timorese
independence cause. Quite the opposite, in fact. The United States
government consistently sided against the East Timorese people. Recently
declassified documents reveal that Secretary of State Kissinger gave the
go ahead to Indonesia's then-President Suharto to invade East Timor in
1975. The United States furnished Indonesia with about 90 percent of its
military hardware. Over the course of the next 23 years, Indonesia
occupied East Timor , and the United States continued to furnish arms and
provide training to Indonesia. In all, more than 200,000 East Timorese
were murdered by the Indonesian military during the occupation. The
proportional scale of the killing was without rival in the 20th century.
One-third of the East Timorese population was murdered. Unfortunately, in
the name of anti-communism, then later global stability, the United States
abetted mass murder.
Apart from official Washington, the American people have been a
reliable friend of the East Timorese. Americans established the East Timor
Action Network, participated in Peace Brigades International, dedicated
their personal savings through individual foundations and trusts--all with
the goal of helping the East Timorese people overcome great odds.
Americans gathered in living rooms and lecture halls throughout the
country to learn the truths about the oppression of East Timor ; they
demonstrated on sidewalks and lobbied their Congress, they met with
newspaper editors and other journalists in order to bring out the truth;
and a few brave Americans sacrificed their personal safety in East Timor
to shed light on the reality of Indonesian government oppression.
Constructive change in U.S. policy came in late 1999, after the East
Timorese had voted for independence, and after the Indonesian military
invaded again to punish the people for daring to choose independence. Over
2,000 East Timorese were killed, and a large share of the population was
forcibly relocated to refugee camps in Indonesia. But the impact of the
American people and the confluence of world events finally forced a change
in U.S. policy. The effect was dramatic. The U.S. barred Indonesia from
further purchases of weapons and training, and immediately the Indonesian
Government withdrew from East Timor and permitted international
peacekeepers to enter. This demonstrates the importance and effectiveness
of withholding U.S. military support from anti-democratic governments that
oppress their people.
The United States government has a moral debt to repay the East
Timorese people. I consider today's Concurrent Resolution as a very modest
down payment on that debt. We should faithfully make the next
installations. We should start with generous, unconditional financial
grants to the newly independent government of East Timor for healthcare,
education, rural reconstruction, refugee resettlement, reconciliation and
conflict resolution, environmental protection and the judicial system. The
United States should further use its influence with international
financial institutions to guarantee Timorese sovereignty and, in a
departure from IFI practice, permit the Timorese to design and implement
their own economic policies as they see fit. This is the least the United
States can do. Let us repay our moral debt to the East Timorese people
fully and expeditiously.
Mr. HALL of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Con. Res.
405, Commemorating the Independence of East Timor on May 20, 2002.
Yesterday's independence of East Timor will make it the first new country
of the millennium. I extended my full congratulations to all of the people
of East Timor , their new President, Xanana Gusmao, and Nobel Peace Prize
Laureates Carlos Xinenes Belo, the Roman Catholic Bishop of Dili, and Jose
Ramos-Horta who have both worked tirelessly on behalf of the people of
East Timor . Yesterday was a day which many of us thought would never come
in our lifetimes.
Mr. Speaker, I want to take this opportunity to acknowledge the
extraordinary contributions of one individual--Arnold S. Kohen--who has
made a difference in working for peace and justice in East Timor . He is
not often recognized but Arnold has worked behind the scenes or over 20
years raising the issue of East Timor within the U.S. Congress and
throughout the world. He wrote a book documenting the epic struggles of
Bishop Belo. Arnold's work has made a contribution to this historic day
and is a model for me on how one individual can truly make a difference in
the world. I also want to recognize the hard work and dedication of the
East Timor Action Network.
The work in East Timor is not yet finished. (Bishop Belo clearly points
this out in the following the Washington Post editorial.) However,
yesterday was a day in which we all can rejoice because an oppressed
people have now been set free.
* [End Insert]
[From the Washington Post, May 18, 2002]
Freedom Is Not Enough (by Carlos Ximenes Belo)
[previously posted]
Mr. BENTSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Con. Res. 405,
commemorating the independence of East Timor and expressing the sense of
Congress that the President should establish diplomatic relations with
East Timor . As the first new nation of the millennium, East Timor now
strives to leave behind the effects of an oppressive occupation by the
Indonesian military and Indonesian-backed militias.
Today's important resolution honors this very struggle, and calls on
the President to begin diplomatic relations and make the U.S. a partner to
promote freedom. East Timor , a former Portuguese colony invaded by
Indonesia in 1975, now celebrates its independence from the brutal
Indonesian military and Indonesian-backed militias, and a promise of a
better life for all its citizens. As a member of the Congressional Human
Rights Caucus, I have been concerned about the situation for East Timor
for quite some time. I am pleased to note that this resolution embodies
legislation I cosponsored in the 106th Congress, the East Timor
Repatriation and Security Act of 2000 (H.R. 4357), which prohibited
resumption of U.S. military assistance to Indonesia until the President
certified to Congress that the government of Indonesia recognizes the
territorial integrity of East Timor . Additionally, this legislation
called for the safe return of refugees, and the prosecution of the
militias and government supported forces responsible for the violence
following a September 1999 United Nations-sponsored referendum where the
people voted to relinquish Indonesian rule. H.R. 4357 built on legislation
I introduced in September 1999, H.R. 2822, to direct the U.S.
representative to the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank to
oppose any new monetary assistance to Indonesia including until the
President certified that the crisis in East Timor has been resolved.
More importantly, today's resolution recognizes an end to the reign of
terror of Indonesia, a regime that employed armed militia violence and
slaughter as its method of rule. During years of combat and armed
conflict, the Indonesian military and armed militias displaced the East
Timorese, prevented their settling in housing camps, murdered U.N.
workers, and refused to hold accountable those who caused this widespread
harm. Now that this oppressive regime no longer reigns and East Timor
begins its independence, I am hopeful that the people of East Timor will
prosper as a nation, and can count on the support of the United States in
preserving their newfound freedom.
For all these reasons, Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in
support for H. Con. Res. 405, to honor the will and determination of the
people of East Timor , and to support their efforts to foster new hope for
all East Timor citizens.
Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to rise in strong support
of House Concurrent Resolution 405, which commemorates the independence of
East Timor and supports the establishment of diplomatic relations with the
newest member state of the international community.
Mr. Speaker, I congratulate the good people and leaders of East Timor
for their perseverance in overcoming centuries of colonization and decades
of occupation by Indonesia to gain independence yesterday. With a
tremendous sacrifice of blood and lives, the East Timorese people fought
to exercise their right to self-determination, voting overwhelmingly in
1999 for independence. Today, their dream has become reality.
Through the legislation before us, the Congress honors the achievement
of the people of East Timor , urges diplomatic relations with the new
government, and pledges continued U.S. support and assistance for the
nation's economic and political development. The legislation further calls
upon Indonesia for the release of East Timorese refugees held captive in
West Timor camps and that our nation should maintain appropriate
restrictions and prohibitions on engagement with Indonesia's military
until accountability for the atrocities committed against the East
Timorese people is reached.
Mr. Speaker, while I share in the international community's joyous
celebration for the East Timorese people, it is unfortunate that little
attention has been paid to the people of West Papua New Guinea, who have
similarly struggled in Irian Jaya to throw off the yoke of Indonesian
colonialism.
As in East Timor , Indonesia took West Papua New Guinea by force in
1963. In a truly pathetic episode, the United Nations in 1969 sanctioned a
fraudulent referendum, where only 1,025 delegates handpicked by Jakarta
were permitted to participate in an ``independence'' vote. The rest of the
West Papuan people, over 800,000 strong, had absolutely no voice in the
undemocratic process. Recently, the U.N. official in charge of the West
Papua referendum, United Nations Undersecretary-General Chakravarthy
Narasimhan, stated that the process which resulted in a unanimous vote was
a ``sham'' and ``whitewash.''
Since Indonesia subjugated West Papau New Guinea, the native Papuan
people have suffered under one of the most repressive and unjust systems
of colonial occupation in the 20th century. Like in East Timor where
200,000 East Timorese are thought to have died, the Indonesian military
has been brutal in Irian Jaya. Reports estimate that between 100,000 to
300,000 West Papuans have died or simply vanished at the hands of the
Indonesian military.
While we in Congress celebrate the attainment of independence, peace
and justice in East Timor , Mr. Speaker, we should not forget the violent
tragedy that continues to play out today in West Papua New Guinea. I would
urge my colleagues, our great nation, and the international community to
revisit the status of West Papau New Guinea to ensure that justice is also
achieved there.
Mr. Speaker, I strongly support the legislation before us and request
that it be adopted by our colleagues.
Mr. KENNEDY of Rhode Island. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong
support of H. Con. Res. 405.
This week, on the other side of our Globe, the world celebrates the
creation of a new democracy, the Democratic Republic of East Timor .
I congratulate and honor the people of this island nation for their
perseverance and for their triumph of freedom over oppression.
The effort to bring self-determination to East Timor was a dream back
in 1994 when I arrived in Congress, but now it is a reality.
Since coming to Congress, I have seen how the East Timorese people,
against tremendous odds, resisted military rule despite the killing of
one-third of the population in the 1970s and the oppression and massacres
of subsequent years.
[Page: H2745]
There have been many of us in Congress dedicated to the plight of the
East Timorese largely because of the information we learned over years of
meetings and visits with the residents of Timor.
They were willing to risk their lives and futures to share their
stories with those of us in the Congress who had the ability to help.
It has been a team effort, and the Members who have been leaders on
this issue have been assisted in our efforts by the international support
movement led by groups such as Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International,
the US Catholic Conference of Bishops, the Indonesian Human Rights
Network, and of course the East Timor Action Network.
As we move forward, however, we cannot forget the need to continue to
show our support for East Timor's sustainable development and a positive
future.
The United States should work with the United Nations and its members
to make sure that the job of preparing East Timor for self-rule is
completed.
Enough proper expertise and funds must be provided to ensure a smooth
transition in government services and to train East Timorese to fully
manage their own affairs.
After decades of tremendous suffering under military occupation, we
need to give generously to East Timor to ensure that children are
guaranteed a quality education, adequate healthcare and shelter, and that
other needs for a decent standard of living are met.
This is especially crucial in light of the recently released United
Nations Development Program Report that classified East Timor as one of
the twenty poorest countries in the world and the poorest in Asia.
Life expectancy in the island nation is just 57 years, and nearly half
the population lives on less than fifty five American cents per day.
This burgeoning democracy will need our hand as we move into the Twenty
First Century.
I look forward to working with my Colleagues in Congress on these
issues and these challenges.
But today, we celebrate the perseverance and the spirit of the East
Timorese and we celebrate the creation of democracy,
I urge my colleagues to support H. Con. Res. 405.
* [End Insert]
Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I
urge my colleagues to support the legislation.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith) that the House suspend the rules and
agree to the concurrent resolution, House Concurrent Resolution 405, as
amended.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of
those present have voted in the affirmative.
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and
nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be
postponed.
See ETAN's legislation
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