Whereas Indonesian armed forces invaded the former Portuguese colony of East Timor on December 7, 1975; and
Whereas this genocidal attack by the Indonesian government has resulted in the slaughter of more than one-third of the population (over 200,000 people), the worst massacre relative to population since the Holocaust; and
Whereas the terror continues to this day, as the United States government continues to supply the arms which make this frightening level of repression possible; and
Whereas thanks to public pressure, the United States Congress eliminated military training aid (IMET) to Indonesia in October, 1992, the first action Congress has taken on this issue in 17 years; and
Whereas in March 1993, the United States government reversed its position and supported a strong resolution passed by the United Nations Human Rights Commission critical of the Indonesian government's human rights violations; and
Whereas the United States government is not yet working to implement United Nations resolutions calling for the withdrawal of the Indonesian military and self-determination for the people of East Timor;
Therefore be it resolved that we, the members of the I 993 California-Nevada Annual Conference, hereby urge President Bill Clinton to take immediate administrative and legislative steps to halt all United States military aid, economic aid, and weapons sales to Indonesia until the Indonesian government complies with United Nations resolutions, and
1.) Withdraws its military occupation forces from East Timor;
2.) Allows a United Nations supervised plebiscite in the territory to facilitate a process of decolonization;
3.) Ends all forms of inhuman treatment, including torture, extra-judicial executions, and arbitrary arrest and imprisonment;
4.) Permits unrestricted access to East Timor by international human rights organizations.
Be it further resolved that the Conference Secretary be instructed to immediately send a copy of this resolution to the President of the United States, to our two California State Senators and our two Nevada State Senators, and to all Congressional Representatives within the bounds of the California-Nevada Annual Conference; and
Be it further resolved that the California-Nevada Annual Conference urge members of local churches to communicate the above concerns to the President and legislative representatives, and that the Board of Church and Society be asked to make information on the plight of the East Timorese people available to local churches.