LEADER VERY MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE AT
           THIS TIME. MR. PRESIDENT, I RISE TODAY TO AGAIN DISCUSS THE
           TUMULTUOUS EVENTS THAT HAVE UNFOLDED IN EAST TIMOR SINCE THE
           AUGUST 30 BALLOT TO DETERMINE THEIR POLITICAL FUTURE AND TO
           STATE WHAT THE UNITED STATES IS AND SHOULD BE DOING IN RESPONSE
           TO THE CRISIS. HOW CAN ANYONE, MR. PRESIDENT, NOT BE HORRIFIED
           AT THE BLIND EYE THAT THE INDONESIAN GOVERNMENT HAS TURNED TO

           THE UNCHECKED VIOLENCE AND MASS MURDER BEING PERPETRATED IN
           EAST TIMOR BY ANTIINDEPENDENCE MY LITTLE SHAH?
           VIOLENCE THAT EVEN TODAY IS BLATANTLY SUPPORTED BY ELEMENTS OF
           THE INDONESIAN ARMY. MR. PRESIDENT, IN JUST ONE WEEKS SINCE THE
           BALLOT RESULTS WERE ANNOUNCED ON SEPTEMBER 4, THE MILITIA --
           THE MILITIAS HAVE DRIVEN OUT NEARLY ENTIRE POPULATION OF THE
           CAPITAL OF DILI. EAST TIMOR IS DOTTED WITH CITIES THAT HAVE
           BECOME VIRTUAL VERNMENT TOWNS IN A MATTER OF DAYS. MANY PEOPLE

           HAVE BEEN FORCED INTO MILITIA-RUN REFUGEE CAMPS IN WEST TIMOR.
           THESE INNOCENT CIVILIANS ARE UNPROTECTED TARGETS FOR A GROUP OF
           THUGS WHO ARE WILLING TO OBLITERATE EAST TIMOR COMPLETELY
           RATHER THAN ALLOW IT TO START DOWN THE ROAD TO INDEPENDENCE,
           WHICH MORE THAN 78% OF ITS PEOPLE VOTED FOR ON AUGUST 30. THE
           MESSAGE OF THE MILITIAS IS CLEAR. IF INDONESIA CAN'T HAVE EAST
           TIMOR, THERE WILL BE NO EAST TIMOR WORTH HAVING FOR THE EAST
           TIMORESE. CITIES ARE IN COMPLAIMS AND MILITIA MEMBERS ARE

           STEALING ANYTHING OF VALUE THAT THEY HAVE NOT DESTROYED.
           CHURCHES, WHICH ARE USUALLY RECOGNIZED AS PLACES OF SANCTUARY,
           EVEN BY COMBATANTS DURING WAR, HAVE BEEN BURNED WITH REFUGEES
           STILL INSIDE. MR. PRESIDENT, THIS IS LITERALLY A SCORCHED-EARTH
           POLICY. IT IS LIKE FEW OF EVEN OF THE WORST EPISODES WE HAVE
           SEEN IN THE OFTEN BLOODY 20TH CENTURY. NO SEGMENT OF THE
           PROINDEPENDENCE POPULATION IN EAST TIMOR HAS ESCAPED THE WRATH
           OF THE MILITIA. RELIGIOUS LEADERS, FOREIGNERS AND THE FAMILIES

           OF ACTIVISTS HAVE BEEN ESPECIALLY TARGETED FOR SUMMER
           EXECUTION. AT LEAST 20 PRIESTS AND NUNS ACROSS EAST TIMOR HAVE
           BEEN MURDERED. THREE OF THE PRIESTS WERE AMONG APPROXIMATELY
           100 TIMORESE VICTIMS KILLED IN A GRENADE ATTACK ON A TOWN.
           WOMEN, CHILDREN AND THE ELDERLY HAVE BEEN MURDERED AND
           MASSACRED. MEMBERS OF THE UNITED NATIONS ASSISTANCE MISSION TO
           EAST TIMOR, UNIMET, HAVE BEEN TARGETED AS FOREIGN JOURNALISTS
           WHO HAVE BEEN TRYING TO COVER THE ATROCITIES. THE LEADERS OF

           THE EAST TIMORESE MOVEMENT AND THEIR FAMILIES ARE ESPECIALLY
           VULNERABLE TO ATTACK. LAST WEEK THE INDONESIAN GOVERNMENT
           RELEASED INDEPENDENCE LEAR GUSMAL. THEY RELEASED HIM FRL JAIL
           IN JAKARTA. ON FRIDAY HE LEARNED THAT HIS 82-YEAR-OLD FATHER
           HAD LIKELY BEEN MURDERED BY PRO-JAKARTA THUGS AND HIS ELDERLY
           MOTHER IS MISSING. LAST WEEK THE UNITED NATIONS EVACUATED MOST
           OF ITS PERSONNEL TO AUSTRALIA. ABOUT 80 BRAVE UNIMET PERSONNEL
           ELECTED TO STAY IN EAST TIMOR TO TRY TO PROTECT THE

           APPROXIMATELY 1,300 EAST TIMORESE WHO REMAIN HUDDLED PIND
           HASHED WIRE FENCES. ON FRIDAY -- ACTUALLY, MR. PRESIDENT,
           MILITIA MEMBERS HAVE REPEATEDLY FIRED INTO THE COMPOUND. ON
           FRIDAY SOME OF THE TIMORESE, INCLUDING WOMEN AND CHILDREN,
           DESPERATE TO ESCAPE THE VIOLENCE CLIMBED THE RAZOR-SHARP FENCE
           SEPARATING THEM FROM THE ARMED THUGS AND ATTEMPTED TO FIND
           REFUGE IN THE HILLS BEHIND THE UNIMET MISSION. THEY WERE FIRED
           ON BY THE MILITIAS AS THEY TRIED TO ESCAPE. THE UNARMED
           PERSONNEL WERE POWERLESS TO HELP AND COULD ONLY WATCH IN HORROR

           AS THOSE THEY HAD COME TO HELP WERE SHOT DOWN BY OPPONENTS OF
           JUSTICE, SELF-DETERMINATION AND THE RULE OF LAW. YESTERDAY THE
           UNEVACUATED -- THE U.N. EVACUATED MOST OF ITS PERSONNEL AND THE
           REFUGEES TO AUSTRALIA. THE BOLDNESS OF THE MILITIAS AND THE
           COMPLICITY OF THE IND KNEE I CAN'T GOVERNMENT IS ASTOUNDING. I
           AM SHOCKED BY THE TOTAL IMPOTENCE OR INACTION OF THE INDONESIAN
           GOVERNMENT SINCE LAST WEEK. PRESIDENT HABIBIE PROMISEDED UNITED
           NATIONS, THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY AND THE PEOPLE OF EAST

           TIMOR THAT WOULD SECURE PROVIDE A SECURE ENVIRONMENT IN EAST
           TIMOR, THAT THE WISHES OF THE INDONESIAN PEOPLE WOULD BE
           RESPECTED. NEITHER HAS HAPPENED. SOME ARGUE THAT HABIBIE MAY BE
           UNABLE TO STOP THE VIOLENCE. OTHERS SAY HE IS UNWILLING. HIS
           LEVEL OF CONTROL OVER THE ARMY, WHICH HE DID NOT CONSULT PRIOR
           TO AGREEING TO THE U.N.-SUPERVISED BALLOT ON THE FUTURE OF EAST
           TIMOR, IS, OF COURSE, A SUBJECT OF A LOT OF DEBATE. WHATEVER
           THE CASE, HABIBIE HAS NOT MADE ANY REAL, COMPELLING OR STRONG
           STATEMENTS CONDEMNING THIS VIOLENCE AND HE HAS MADE NO ATTEMPT

           TO REIGN IN THE ARMY PERSONNEL WHO ARE RAMPAGING IN THIS
           SITUATION. I AM ALSO DISTURBED BY THE INACTION OF THE HEAD OF
           THE INDONESIAN MILITARY, GENERAL BORONTO. THIS PAST WEEK HE
           IMPLIED THAT HE MAY NOT HAVE CONTROL OVER ALL OF HIS FORCES. ON
           SATURDAY HE ACCOMPANIED A DELEGATION TO DILI AND HE SAW FOR
           WHAT HE SAID WAS THE FIRST TIME THE DEVASTATION IN THAT CITY.
           SOON AFTER HIS VISIT, HE SAID HE WOULD RECOMMEND THE PRESIDENT
           HABIBIE ACCEPT AN INTERNATIONAL PEACEKEEPING FORCE. FINALLY,

           UNDER CONSIDERABLE PRESSURE FROM THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY
           AND WITH THE SUPPORT OF GENERAL RONTO AND THE HEAD OF THE
           INDONESIAN POLICE, HABIBIE ANNOUNCED SUNDAY THAT HIS GOVERNMENT
           WOULD ALLOW INTERNATIONAL PEACEKEEPERS LED BY AUSTRALIA TO COME
           TO EAST TIMOR TO RESTORE ORDER AND STOP THE VIOLENT RAMPAGE OF
           THE MILITIAS. AS SOVEN THE CASE IN CLASHES SUCH AS THIS, HIS
           ANNOUNCEMENT WHILE WELCOME CAME TOO LATE FOR THOSE TIMORESE
           MURDERED BY THE MILITIAS AND THOSE HIDING IN THE HILLS WHO HAVE

           BEEN SCARRED BY THE VIOLENCE AND DESTRUCTION LEVELED AGAINST
           THE DEMOCRATIC ASPIRATIONS OF THE PEOPLE OF EAST TIMOR. NOW
           THAT THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY HAS REACHED THIS CRITICAL
           POINT IN THE TRANSITION OF THE POLITICAL FUTURE OF EAST TIMOR,
           MR. PRESIDENT, HERE, I THINK, ARE THE STEPS THAT HAVE TO BE
           TAKEN NEXT. FIRST AND FOREMOST, THE INTERNATIONAL PEACEKEEPING
           FORCE MUST BE DEPLOYED AT THE EARLIEST POSSIBLE DATE. I AM
           CONCERNED ABOUT THE WORDS OF DELAY COMING OUT OF JAKARTA THIS
           MORNING. I REGRET IF IT TOOK -- THAT IT TOOK PRESIDENT HABIBIE

           SO LONG TO RECOGNIZE THE NEED FOR INTERNAPT ASSISTANCE. NOW THE
           INDONESIAN GOVERNMENT, MILITARY AND PRESIDENT HABIBIE MUST
           FULLY COOPERATE WITH THE DEPLOYMENT AND MUST NOT INTERFERE WITH
           THE OPERATIONS OF THIS PEACEKEEPING FORCE. THEY MUST BE ALLOWED
           TO DEPLOY QUICKLY, RESTORE ORDER AND HELP THE EAST TIMORESE
           PEOPLE REGAIN A SEMBLANCE OF SECURITY IN THEIR OWN HOMES AND
           SOME HOPE OF REALIZING THE ASPIRATIONS MANIFEST IN THE AUGUST
           30 BALLOT. I UNDERSTAND THE INDONESIAN FOREIGN MINISTER ALATAS

           CONTINUES MEETING IN NEW YORK TODAY ALONG WITH OFFICIALS FROM
           AUSTRALIA TO DISCUSS THE DETAILS FOR THE PEACE KEENG MISSION.
           ONE OF THOSE DETAILS CLEARLY IS TO DETERMINE THE COMPOSITION OF
           THE INTERNATIONAL FORCE AND THE ROLE OF THE INDONESIANS
           THEMSELVES IN A DEPLOYMENT. ANOTHER SHOULD BE TO LAY THE
           GROUNDWORK FOR INVESTIGATIONS INTO THE CRIMES THAT HAVE TAKEN
           PLACE IN EAST TIMOR, INCLUDING PROCEDURES TO BEGIN TO COLLECT
           EVIDENCE FOR FUTURE PROSECUTIONS. MR. PRESIDENT, NOBEL
           LAUREATES JOSE GORTA HAVE CALLED FOR THE FORMATION OF A WAR

           CRIMES TRIBUNAL TO INVESTIGATE AND PROSECUTE THOSE RESPONSIBLE
           FOR THESE VICIOUS CRIMES. THAT TRIBUNAL SHOULD BE FORMED AT THE
           EARLIEST POSSIBLE DATE. TO ACHIEVE THAT GOAL, THE IMMEDIATE
           PRIORITY OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY SHOULD BE TO GET THE
           PEACEKEEPING FORCES DEPLOYED TO GAIN CONTROL OF THE SITUATION
           AND PREVENT ANY FURTHER BLOODSHED AND TO ALLOW THE TIMORESE
           THAT HA FLED TO RETURN HOME. THE MANDATE FOR THE PEACEKEEPING
           MISSION SHOULD ALSO BE CLEAR ABOUT THE RULES OF ENGAGEMENT FOR
           DISARMING AND DETAINING MEMBERS OF THE MILITIA. SOME MILITIA

           LEADERS HAVE SAID THEY WILL NOT DISARM. THIS VOLATILE SITUATION
           POSES A GRAVE RISK TO THE PEACEKEEPERS AND MUST BE DEALT WITH
           CAREFULLY AND EXPEDITIOUSLY. SECOND, WE MUST QUICKLY AND
           CONCISELY DEFINE THE SCOPE OF THE U.S. ROLE IN THIS
           PEACEKEEPING MISSION. I AM PLEASED AUSTRALIA HAS COME FORWARD
           TO TAKE THE LEAD ON THIS PEACEKEEPING MISSION IN EAST TIMOR AND
           OTHER COUNTRIES IN THE REGION OFFERED TO CONTRIBUTE TROOPS TO
           THIS EFFORT. IT IS MY GENERAL BELIEF THAT PEACEKEEPING
           OPERATIONS SHOULD BE LED BY COUNTRIES IN THE REGION WHERE THE

           CONFLICT IS OCCURRING, AND I AM ALSO TROUBLED BY SOME WORD THIS
           MORNING THAT THE INDONESIAN GOVERNMENT IS PERHAPS BLOCKING --
           BALKING AT THE IDEA OF AUSTRALIA LEADING THIS MISSION WHICH I
           THINK IS APPROPRIATE THEY DO SO. A MILITIA-LED VIOLENCE AND A
           BLATANT COLLUSION AND THE COMMISSION OF THAT VIOLENCE IS A
           DIRECT SLAP AT THE RULE OF LAW AND THE PROTECTION FOR THE RIGHT
           TO SELF-DETERMINATION IN INTERNATIONAL LAW AND SUPPORTED BY THE
           UNITED NATIONS. I HOPE THAT ANY PARTICIPATION BY THE INDONESIAN
           MILITARY IN THIS PEACEKEEPING FORCE WILL BE SCRUTINIZED. THOSE

           WHO HELPED PERPETRATE THE VIOLENCE MUST NOT BE PLACED IN THE
           POSITION OF TRUST WITHIN THIS OPERATION. I'LL SAY A LITTLE BIT
           MORE ABOUT U.S. INVOLVEMENT IN THIS MISSION IN A MINUTE. BUT
           THIRD, MR. PRESIDENT, THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY MUST KEEP THE
           PRESSURE ON THE INDONESIAN GOVERNMENT. I'M PLEASED THAT THE
           PRESIDENT OF OUR COUNTRY MADE A DECISION I HAVE ADVOCATED FOR
           SOME TIME, TO SUSPEND MILITARY-TO-MILITARY ACTIVITIES WITH
           INDONESIA. I AM ENCOURAGED THIS DECISION INCLUDES HALTING ALL
           NEW MILITARY SALES TO THAT COUNTRY. I HOPE THE PRESIDENT WILL

           EXPAND THIS DECISION TO IMMEDIATELY HALT ANY SALES THAT ARE
           CURRENTLY IN THE PIPELINE. IF WE ARE TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY BY
           THE INDONESIAN GOVERNMENT, THOSE SALES MUST BE INCLUDED. THESE
           BENEFITS SHOULD NOT BE REINSTATED UNTIL SPECIFIC STEPS HAVE
           BEEN TAKEN TO IMPLEMENT THE RESULTS OF THE AUGUST 30 BALLOT.
           I'VE HEARD MANY OBSERVERS ARGUE THAT INDONESIA IS TOO IMPORTANT
           FINANCIALLY TO THE UNITED STATES AND OTHER COUNTRIES TO RISK
           ANGERING JAKARTA. I WOULD ARGUE, MR. PRESIDENT, THAT NO AMOUNT
           OF TRADE IS WORTH EAST TIMORESE LIVES. IF WE TRULY ARE TO

           SUPPORT INDONESIA IN ITS TRAITION TO TRUE DEMOCRACY, WE MUST
           INSIST THAT THE VIOLENCE STOP AND WE MUST USE EVERY CENT OF OUR
           ECONOMIC LEVERAGE TO DO SO. SO, MR. PRESIDENT, LAST WEEK I
           INTRODUCED A BILL, S. 1568 THAT WOULD SUSPEND ALL MILITARY AND
           ECONOMIC ASSISTANCE TO INDONESIA UNTIL STEPS HAVE BEEN TAKEN TO
           IMPLEMENT THE AUGUST 30 BALLOT. I'M PLEASED THAT THE
           ADMINISTRATION HAS SUSPENDED SOME MILITARY AID THAT IS NOW
           IMPERATIVE THAT WE KEEP THE PRESSURE ON BY REFUSING TO
           REINSTATE THAT AID AND BY THREATENING TO SUSPEND ALL OTHER AID

           UNTIL THE RESULTS OF THE AUGUST 30 BLAT ARE IMPLEMENTED. MY
           BILL WOULD SUSPEND ASSISTANCE AND SALES AS WELL AS THOSE
           PURCHASES CURRENTLY IN THE PIPELINE. IN ORDER TO BE EFFECTIVE,
           WE MUST STOP ALL AID IN ITS TRACK, NOT JUST NEW AID. WE SHOULD
           ALSO CALL IN OUR ALLIES TO DO THE SAME. THE RECENT FINANCIAL
           TROUBLES IN ASIA HAVE MADE INDONESIA DEPENDENT ON BILATERAL AND
           MULTILATERAL ASSISTANCE. WE SHOULD USE THAT DEPENDENCE AS
           LEVERAGE TO ENSURE THAT THE INDONESIAN GOVERNMENT LIVES UP TO

           COMMITMENTS IN EAST TIMOR INCLUDING ITS WILLINGNESS TO ADMIT A
           PEACEKEEPING FORCE INTO EAST TIMOR. IN THAT REGARD I AM
           PLEASED, MR. PRESIDENT, THAT THE EUROPEAN UNION YESTERDAY
           ANNOUNCED IT HAS SUSPENDED ALL ARMS SALES AND MILITARY
           COOPERATION WITH INDONESIA. THAT WELCOME DEVELOPMENT MAKES IT
           ALL THE MORE IMPORTANT THAT WE CONTINUE TO PUSH FOR PASSAGE OF
           OUR LEGISLATION TO SUSPEND ASSISTANCE. WE MUST CONTINUE TO
           APPLY THE FINANCIAL PRESSURE PROVIDED FOR IN THIS BILL SO THE
           INDONESIANS WILL UNDERSTAND THE CONTINUING U.S. RESOLVE TO SEE

           JUSTICE DONE IN EAST TIMOR. FINALLY, MR. PRESIDENT, THE UNITED
           NATIONS MANDATE FOR THIS PEACEKEEPING MISSION SHOULD INCLUDE
           FULL ACCESS TO EAST TIMOR FOR PEACEKEEPING TROOPS, HUMANITARIAN
           WORKERS AND WOULD WAR CRIMES INVESTIGATORS. THE
           ANTIINDEPENDENCE MOVEMENT CANNOT BE ALLOWED TO BLOCK ACCESS TO
           ANY PART OF EAST TIMOR. IN ADDITIO HUMANITARIAN WORKERS SHOULD
           BE ALLOWED FULL ACCESS TO THE REFUGEE CAMPS IN WEST TIMOR. THE
           NATIONS OF THE INTERNATIONAL PEACEKEEPING FORCE MUST MAKE CLEAR

           NO SUCH INTERFERENCE WILL BE TOLERATED. PEOPLE ARE DYING, MR.
           PRESIDENT. WOMEN AND CHILDREN ARE BEING SLAUGHTERED WHILE THE
           POLITICIANS TRY TO LEVERAGE THE SITUATION TO THEIR ADVANTAGE.
           PRESIDENT HABIBIE HAS A CHANCE TO DEAL WITH WHAT IS RIGHT FOR
           HIS PEOPLE AND THE EAST TIMORESE PEOPLE BEFORE HE LEAVES
           OFFICE. THE WAY TO SALVAGE WHAT IS LEFT OF INDONESIA'S SHREDDED
           INTERNATIONAL REPUTATION IS TO ALLOW INTERNATIONAL PEACEKEEPERS
           TO DEPLOY RAPIDLY IN EAST TIMOR TO STOP THIS SENSELESS
           BLOODSHED. LET ME SAY ANOTHER WORD ABOUT THE U.S. ROLE IN TH

           PEACEKEEPING MISSION. AS MANY OF MY COLLEAGUES KNOW, I'VE BEEN
           A VOCAL OPPONENT OF U.S. DEPLOYMENTS TO SUCH PLACES AS BOSNIA
           AND KOSOVO. WHILE I SUPPORT THE CONCEPT OF AN INTERNATIONAL
           PEACEKEEPING FORCE LED BY COUNTRIES FROM THE REGION, IT IS MY
           PREFERENCE, AS IT WAS IN THOSE CASES, THAT U.S. TROOPS ON THE
           GROUND IN EAST TIMOR NOT BE A SIGNIFICANT PART OF THIS
           PEACEKEEPING MISSION. OUR TROOPS ARE CURRENTLY OVEREXTENDED IN
           OPEN-ENDED COMMITMENTS IN PLACES SUCH AS BOSNIA, KOSOVO AND
           SAUDI ARABIA. WE SHOULD DO WHATEVER WE CAN TO LIMIT OUR
           INVOLVEMENT IN THESE PLACES AND BE VERY HESITANT TO GET DEEPLY

           INVOLVED IN ANY NEW MISSIONS OF THIS SORT. THAT SAID, HOWEVER,
           I AM OPEN TO SUPPORTING A REQUEST TO THE CONGRESS FROM THE
           UNITED STATES -- FROM THE ADMINISTRATION FOR U.S.
           FINANCIAL,DIPLOMATIC, COMMUNICATIONS AND LOGISTICAL SUPPORT FOR
           AN INTERNATIONAL PEACEKEEPING MISSION TO EAST TIMOR THAT IS LED
           BY THE COUNTRIES FROM THAT REGION. THE ADMINISTRATION MUST
           CONTINUE TO CONSULT CLOSELY WITH THE CONGRESS PRIOR TO MAKING
           ANY COMMITMENT TO ASSIST WITH SUCH A PEACEKEEPING MISSION. I
           BELIEVE STRONGLY THAT THE UNITED STATES MUST DEVELOP CRITERIA

           FOR DECIDING WHETHER AND WHERE AND HOW DEEPLY TO GET INVOLVED
           IN PEACEKEEPING MISSIONS ABROAD. OUR MEN AND WOMEN IN UNIFORM
           AND THEIR FAMILIES DESERVE TO UNDERSTAND THE DANGER OF PROPOSED
           MISSIONS AND TO BE GIVEN A GOOD-FAITH ESTIMATE OF THEIR LENGTH.
           AS MY COLLEAGUES KNOW, I OPPOSE OUR CONTINUING INVOLVEMENT IN
           THE BALKANS. THE ADMINISTRATION ARGUED THAT OUR ACTION AGAINST
           THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF YUGOSLAVIA WAS NECESSARY FOR
           HUMANITARIAN REASONS. THE TROUBLE I HAD WITH OUR OPERATIONS IN
           KOSOVO IS THAT WE HAVE NOT SHOWN THE SAME WILLINGNESS TO
           INTERVENE
{END: 1999/09/14 TIME: 11-30 , Tue.  106TH SENATE, FIRST SESSION}