10 February 2000
Text: International Relations Committee Chairman on East Timor
(Gilman calls for Indonesian general Wiranto to step down) (670) While much has been done to bring peace and stability to East Timor, much remains to be done, according to Representative Benjamin Gilman (Republican of New York). Gilman, the chairman of the House International Relations Committee, called for refugee repatriation to be completed "safely and expeditiously" in a February 10 statement. A number of refugees remain in West Timor who want to return home, he said. The remaining militia elements, Gilman added, "must be controlled and ultimately disbanded. Indonesia must dissolve these militia groups which are crossing the border from West Timor into East Timor." "All those responsible for the violence in East Timor must be held accountable for their actions and brought to justice," Gilman said, including Indonesia's former armed forces chief General Wiranto. The Indonesian general, Gilman said, "should step down immediately from his government post and account for his actions in the aftermath of the referendum on independence in East Timor last year." Following is the text of a February 10 press release from Gilman's office: (begin text) HOUSE INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS COMMITTEE PRESS RELEASE DATE: February 10, 2000 GILMAN STATEMENT ON EAST TIMOR WASHINGTON (Feb. 10) -- U.S. Rep. Benjamin A. Gilman (20th-NY), Chairman of the House International Relations Committee, released the following statement today a joint hearing of the Senate Asia-Pacific Subcommittee and the House Asia-Pacific Subcommittee on the situation in East Timor: I want to thank the distinguished chairman of the Asia Pacific Subcommittee, Mr. Bereuter, for holding this very timely hearing today and for his diligent attention to the Indonesia and East Timor issues. I also want to welcome to the House of Representatives Senator Craig Thomas (WY) and his colleagues from the Asia-Pacific Subcommittee of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Although the situation in East Timor is stabilizing, it is obvious that much is left to be done. First, the refugee repatriation process must be completed safely and expeditiously. There are still a number of refugees who remain in West Timor and want to return home. Second, the remaining militia elements must be controlled and ultimately disbanded. Indonesia must dissolve these militia groups which are crossing the border from West Timor into East Timor. Third, all those responsible for the violence in East Timor must be held accountable for their actions and brought to justice. I believe we're all anxious to see the report of the Indonesian National Commission on Human Rights and I call upon the government of Indonesia to take action on the findings and make that report available to the public as soon as practicable. In that regard, former armed forces chief General Wiranto should step down immediately from his government post and account for his actions in the aftermath of the referendum on independence in East Timor last year. His resignation will send an important signal to others that the military must remove itself from Indonesian political life and return to the barracks. Fourth, the United States and the international community must recognize the challenging transition that is ongoing in East Timor and extend a helping hand to assist this important transformation. The U.S. has a key role to play in the democratization and reconstruction of this new island nation. Lastly, I want to thank the forces of INTERFET, especially the Australians who played a key role in its deployment and in the cessation of violence in East Timor. I also want to commend the brave American forces who supported this historic transition to an interim United Nations stewardship. I look forward to free and fair elections at an appropriate point in the future in East Timor and wish the UN transitional administration for East Timor and the East Timorese people the best as they undertake this unprecedented journey. (end text) (Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: usinfo.state.gov)
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