[asia-apec 1875] Stop Congressional Support for Indonesian Military Today

[John M. Miller]

Stop Congressional Support for Lethal Indonesian Military This Week
Make 3 Phone Calls This Week

Immediately 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:

*       The Supplemental Appropriations bill does not contain any military 
assistance for Indonesia. The Indonesian military should not receive a U.S. 
seal of approval while it continues to evade accountability for crimes 
against humanity committed in East Timor and terrorize civilians throughout 
Indonesia.

*       Restrictions on International Military Education and Training 
(IMET) and Foreign Military Financing (FMF) are renewed in the fiscal year 
2003 Foreign Operations Appropriations bill.  Indonesia has not met any of 
the reasonable conditions required to lift the restrictions, and the 
Indonesian government and military should not be rewarded with military 
assistance at least until they do so.

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," 
(http://etan.org/action/action2/05alert.htm) on www.etan.org.

Please let us know the results of your calls and faxes.  Send results to 
John M. Miller, john at 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 at yahoo.com.


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John M. Miller         Internet: john at etan.org

Media & Outreach Coordinator
East Timor Action Network: 10 Years for Self-Determination & Justice

48 Duffield St., Brooklyn, NY 11201 USA
Phone: (718)596-7668      Fax: (718)222-4097
Mobile phone: (917)690-4391
Web site: http://www.etan.org

Support ETAN, make a secure financial contribution: 
http://etan.org/etan/donate.htm

Send a blank e-mail message to info at etan.org to find out
how to learn more about East Timor on the Internet
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