B4-1133, 1156 and 1157/95

Resolution on human rights violations in East Timor and Indonesia

The European Parliament,

- recalling its previous resolutions on human rights in East Timor and Indonesia,

A. having regard to international press reports of increasingly repressive measures by the army against public demonstrations in East Timor, in particular in Manatuto, against the Indonesian occupation,

B. having regard to the events of July 1995 in several towns in the Baucau region in which eight people died and twelve disappeared, and in the regions of Lospalos, Ermera and Liquiça, and the latest confrontations in Dili in which 14 people were injured, as well as the deaths of three pupils of the Komoro secondary school,

C. whereas the military authorities maintain that they have arrested 30 people since 8 September 1995; whereas, however, news reports refer to 66 arrests, including 11 women,

D. having regard to Amnesty International's report of July 1995 on the situation in East Timor,

E. whereas, following a recent visit to Jakarta, the US Ambassador to the UN, Madeleine Albright, expressed concern at the situation in East Timor,

F. having regard to the statements by Ximenes Belo, Bishop of Dili, establishing a link between the present acts of repression and attempts at forced 'Islamization' of the people,

G. having regard to the decision of the International Court of Justice in The Hague on East Timor,

H. having regard to the continuing demonstrations by the people of East Timor against the occupation of their territory by Indonesia,

I. deeply concerned about the conditions under which hundreds of political prisoners are still held in Indonesia and the fact that some continue to be under sentence of death in connection with events which occurred some 30 years ago,

J. shocked at the recent decisions by the Indonesian authorities to implement the death sentences imposed on Sergeant-Major I Bungkus and Sergeant-Major Nataneal Marsudi, both aged 67, who have been detained since October 1965,

1. Condemns in the strongest terms the Indonesian military oppression in East Timor and expresses its sympathy for the victims and their families;

2. Calls for fundamental rights, including religious freedom, to be respected in East Timor;

3. Expresses its support for the people of East Timor in their struggle for the right to self-determination and calls for the negotiations currently taking place between Indonesia and Portugal under the auspices of the UN Secretary- General and the internal dialogue in Timor to be brought to a successful conclusion as soon as possible; calls for the participation of the representatives of the people of East Timor to be guaranteed;

4. Calls on the international community and in particular the Member States to call an immediate halt to arms sales and any kind of military assistance to Indonesia and to suspend all economic cooperation while Timor remains occupied in accordance with its resolution of 14 June 1995 on the Communication from the Commission to the Council 'Towards a new Asia strategy' ((Minutes of that Sitting, Part II, Item 6.));

5. Calls upon the Indonesian Government to annul the death sentences in Indonesia forthwith and inform the prisoners immediately;

6. Calls on the Indonesian Government immediately to free all political prisoners and to grant an amnesty to all the 24 prisoners still held in connection with the events of October 1965 and to authorize their release;

7. Reaffirms its decision in its resolution of 21 November 1991 on the massacre in East Timor ((OJ C 326, 16.12.1991, p. 182.)) to send a fact-finding mission to East Timor and urges the Indonesian Government to refrain from placing obstacles in the way of this mission;

8. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Indonesian Government and the UN Secretary-General.