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ISSN #1088-8136 Vol. 8, No. 2 |
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Congress Moves to Renew Military Ties with
Indonesian Military
Indonesian Verdicts Strengthen Calls for International Tribunal East Timor Puts U.S. Soldiers Above the Law Will the Refugees Be Forgotten? Remembering Senator Paul Wellstone (1944-2002) The State of International Aid to East Timor |
Remembering Senator Paul Wellstone (1944-2002)
On October 25, 2002, a shining light of Congress was extinguished. When Senator Paul Wellstone was killed in a plane crash with his wife, daughter, campaign workers, and pilots, a staunch defender of human rights at home and abroad was lost. Senator Wellstone consistently fought to protect the rights of the people of East Timor and Indonesia. He could always be counted on to sign a letter or cosponsor important legislation in support of justice and self-determination for East Timor or to oppose U.S. assistance to the brutal Indonesian military. In July 1994, Senator Wellstone co-sponsored a ban on the sale of small arms to Indonesia. At the same time, he offered an amendment to assist human rights and environmental NGOs in Indonesia, saying, “I am particularly interested in ensuring that adequate funds be made available to organizations which monitor, and act to improve, humanitarian and environmental conditions in East Timor.” Speaking on the floor of the Senate just prior to the fall of Indonesian dictator Suharto in May 1998, Wellstone stated, “I don’t know why the administration — President Clinton, the administration, our Government…I don't know why we are not more insistent on these governments who attack, torture, rape, and murder their citizens to abide by elementary standards of decency…. Surely we can at least send a clear signal to the Suharto regime that we support democracy, that we support fair labor practices, that we support human rights, and that we will not stand by idly as this regime, the Suharto regime, continues to repress its citizens.” When the Clinton administration decided to go forward with the first
joint military exercise with Indonesia following the 1999 razing of East
Timor, Senator Wellstone said in July 2000, “Now is not the time to
conduct joint exercises with the Indonesian military; now is the time to
demand its accountability. To do otherwise is to tacitly condone its
conduct.” Earlier that year, Wellstone wrote to President Clinton, “Human
rights must be protected and international humanitarian law adhered to,
not only in East Timor, but also as a means to preventing such atrocities
in the future.” see links to selected statements by Sen. Wellstone Return to Winter 2002-2003 Menu |
