from East Timor Action Network, May 14, 1998

Suharto regime faces crisis; students killed by Indonesian military

CONTACT YOUR REPRESENTATIVE AND SENATORS TODAY!

The Suharto regime is foundering and pro-democracy activism is spreading throughout Indonesia. Jakarta has gone up in flames as rioters lash out against the government. Many have been killed. As the economic and political crisis in Indonesia and East Timor escalates, so will hardship and suffering.

Now is the time to urge Congress and President Clinton to formally end all military training and all transfers of weapons, spare parts and ammunition to Indonesia.

Recently, ETAN helped to expose US training of Indonesian military units, contrary to congressional intent. These revelations and the shooting of peaceful protesters in the streets of Jakarta have triggered outrage in Washington. Opposition is building to continued U.S. support of the Indonesian military. With your help, these protests could lead to a complete ban on all military training to the Suharto regime. In fact late last week, the Pentagon announced the indefinite suspension of this training, but a long-term ban is needed. Now it's time to renew our call for self-determination in East Timor.

• Urge your Representative and Senators to ban ALL U.S. military training of and exercises with Indonesia's armed forces. Urge them to support amendments to the Defense Authorization (HR 3616) and Foreign Operations Appropriations bills restricting U.S. military training to Indonesia.

  The Defense Authorization bill may be voted on as early as Thursday, May 21.

  The Pentagon indefinitely suspended the Joint Combined Exchange Training (JCET) program to Indonesia. This is a victory, but bans on both JCET and the International Military Education and Training (IMET) program must be made into law!

  Urge members of the House of Representatives to co-sponsor Rep. Nita Lowey's (D-NY) International Military Training Accountability Act (H.R. 3802), introduced with 22 initial co-sponsors on May 13.

• Urge your Representative and Senators to freeze the transfer of ALL U.S. weapons, spare parts and ammunition for Indonesia's armed forces. Urge them to write to President Clinton and Secretary of State Albright supporting a total freeze until a popularly elected government emerges in Indonesia, and substantial human rights improvements in both Indonesia and East Timor can be demonstrated.

• Urge your Representative to co-sponsor House Concurrent Resolution (H.Con.Res.) 258, which affirms congressional support for East Timor's right to self-determination. Congressmembers Nita Lowey (D-NY), John Porter (R-IL), Tom Lantos (D-CA) and Chris Smith (R-NJ) introduced the resolution on April 1. It also calls for direct East Timorese participation in the UN-sponsored tripartite talks. Urge your Senators to support a companion resolution.

Send a copies of your letter/fax to: Write President Clinton, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave, Washington DC 20500; 202-456-1414; president@whitehouse.gov and Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, US State Dept, 2201 C St, NW, Washington DC 20520, fax: 1-202-647-6434.

For a current list of Congressional e-mail addresses, try http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/. This website also include office phone and fax numbers.

Please forward the results of you contacts to ETAN's Washington office.

Check ETAN's website or the addresses below for updates on co-sponsors and other aspects of the legislation. Contact us if you have questions.

Lynn Fredriksson, Washington Rep East Timor Action Network 110 Maryland Avenue NE #30 Washington DC 20002 202-544-6911; 546-5103 (fax) email

Kristin Sundell, Field Organizer East Timor Action Network 101 Western Ave. # 41 Cambridge MA 02139 617-868-6600 x319 fax: 617-868-7102 email

John M. Miller East Timor Action Network PO Box 150753 Brooklyn NY 11215-0014 718-596-7668 email

Send a blank e-mail message to timor-info@igc.apc.org to find out how to learn more about East Timor on the Internet.