III

Calendar No. 423

105TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION S. RES. 237

Expressing the sense of the Senate regarding the situation in Indonesia

and East Timor.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

MAY 22, 1998

Mr. FEINGOLD (for himself, Mr. REED, Mr. LEAHY, Mr. MOYNIHAN, Mr.

KOHL, Mr. KENNEDY, Mr. HARKIN, Mr. WELLSTONE, Mr. DURBIN, Mr.

LAUTENBERG, Mr. WYDEN, Mrs. BOXER, and Mr. KERRY) submitted the

following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

JUNE 23, 1998

Reported by Mr. HELMS, without amendment

RESOLUTION

Expressing the sense of the Senate regarding the situation

in Indonesia and East Timor.

Whereas recent political turmoil and economic failure in Indonesia have endangered the people of that country and

fomented instability in the region;

Whereas President Suharto has properly responded to this

crisis by resigning, after 32 years in office, the presidency of Indonesia in accordance with Indonesia’s constitutional processes;
2

SRES 237 RS

Whereas Indonesia is now embarking on a new era that is

ripe for political and economic reform;

Whereas in 1975 Indonesia invaded, and since that time has

illegally occupied, East Timor claiming the lives of approximately 200,000 East Timorese;

Whereas Indonesia has systematically committed human

rights abuses against the people of East Timor through

arbitrary arrests, torture, disappearances, extra-judicial

executions, and general political repression;

Whereas 8 United Nations General Assembly and 2 United

Nations Security Council resolutions have reaffirmed the

right of the people of East Timor to self-determination;

Whereas Bishop Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo and Jose

Ramos-Horta, who were awarded the 1996 Nobel Peace

Prize for their courageous contribution to the East

Timorese struggle, have called for a United Nations-sponsored referendum on self-determination of the East

Timorese;

Whereas President Clinton in a letter dated December 27,

1996, expressed interest in the idea of a United Nationssponsored referendum on self-determination in East

Timor;

Whereas the United States cosponsored a 1997 United Nations Human Rights Commission Resolution calling for

Indonesia to comply with the directives of existing United

Nations resolutions regarding East Timor; and

Whereas present circumstances provide a unique opportunity

for a resolution of the East Timor question: Now, therefore, be it
3

SRES 237 RS

1 Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that the

2 President should—

3 (1) encourage the new political leadership in In4 donesia to institute genuine democratic and eco5 nomic reforms, including the establishment of an

6 independent judiciary, civilian control of the mili7 tary, and the release of political prisoners;

8 (2) encourage the new political leadership in In9 donesia to promote and protect the human rights

10 and fundamental freedoms of all the people of Indo11 nesia and East Timor; and

12 (3) work actively, through the United Nations

13 and with United States allies, to carry out the direc14 tives of existing United Nations resolutions on East

15 Timor and to support an internationally supervised

16 referendum on self-determination.

17 SEC. 2. The Secretary of the Senate shall transmit

18 a copy of this resolution to the President.
Calendar No. 423

105TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION S. RES. 237

RESOLUTION

Expressing the sense of the Senate regarding the

situation in Indonesia and East Timor.

JUNE 23, 1998

Reported without amendment