WHEREAS Indonesia continues to occupy East Timor in defiance of United Nations resolutions; and
WHEREAS said occupation has resulted in the death of approximately 200,000 Timorese (one third of the population), according to Amnesty International and Roman Catholic Church estimates; and
WHEREAS the Indonesian government has allowed, encouraged and assisted tens of thousands of Indonesians migrate to East Timor, thereby displacing Timorese families from their ancestral homes and creating serious unemployment and marginalizing Timorese in their own country; and
WHEREAS Amnesty International and other independent observers have documented a continual and severe pattern of human rights abuses, including abductions, beatings, torture, rape, extrajudicial executions, and imprisonment for non-violent political advocacy; and
WHEREAS in February 1995 nine U.S. Senators and eight House members wrote President Clinton urging the U.S. Delegation to the United Nations Human Rights Commission to submit a strong resolution to demonstrate to opposition to the continuing human rights abuses in East Timor; and
WHEREAS in March 1995 U.S. Assistant Secretary of State John Shattuck testified before two Congressional International Relations subcommittees that he was very concerned about the deteriorating human rights situation in East Timor; and
WHEREAS on March 1, 1995 the United Nations Human Rights Commission expressed its "deep concern over the continuing reports of violations of human rights in East Timor";
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the General Board of Global Ministries of the United Methodist Church:
Call upon President Clinton and the U.S. Congress to take increased and definitive action to encourage Indonesia to comply with United Nations resolutions on East Timor, including withdrawing its military forces from East Timor;
Support the application of the Christian Church of East Timor (GKTT) for membership in the World Council of Churches and other ecumenical bodies;
Call for the participation of the East Timorese themselves in a peaceful resolution of the problems of East Timor; and
Call upon the United States government to cease military aid and place and embargo on the sale of arms to Indonesia.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the General Secretary of the GBGM be requested to send copies of this resolution to the President of the United States, all U.S. Senators and Representatives and all appropriate ecumenical colleagues.