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US Congressman Says Indonesia Gov't Must Stop Killings Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Dept. of State - 26 October 2000 [summary followed by text] Rep. Pitts Oct. 25 on Violence Against Religious Minorities (Pitts says Indonesian government must stop killings) Jakarta must take steps to stop the killing going on in the Maluku Islands, says Representative Joseph Pitts (Republican of Pennsylvania). Pitts told fellow lawmakers in an October 25 speech that some Indonesian leaders are encouraging the depredations against Christians in and around Ambon, the capital of the Maluku Islands. The attacks against members of religious minorities in the Maluku Islands, Pitts said, have resulted in more than 4,000 deaths and made more than 350,000 people refugees from the sectarian violence. The Pennsylvania Republican related how eyewitnesses of some attacks have reported that members of the Indonesian Army aided those taking part in the killings. The record of human rights abuses by the Indonesian military "is well documented," Pitts added. The people "are pleading for the international community to get involved and bring them relief, both in terms of humanitarian aid and physical protection," Pitts said. Pitts, who is a leader of the Religious Prisoners Congressional Task Force and sits on the Helsinki Commission, said the current leader of Indonesia's People's Consultative Assembly, Dr. Amien Rais, has "openly supported calls for Jihad or an Islamic holy war against the Christians and other religious believers in Indonesia." The United States, Pitts said, "needs to examine the religious nature of these killings." The fighting in the Malukus isn't a local economic conflict, he continued. "Declarations of Jihad," he said, "underscore the religious aspects to the violence, and this must be considered in terms of U.S. Government actions." Following is the text of Representative Pitts' October 25 speech from the Congressional Record: (begin text) INDONESIA (House of Representatives) October 25, 2000 Mr. PITTS: Mr. Speaker, once again I rise to share my concern over the continued bloodshed in Indonesia. I continue to receive reports that, despite statements of the Indonesian government in Jakarta, the violence, destruction and murder continues in Ambon. The people living in the Malukus are pleading for the international community to get involved and bring them relief, both in terms of humanitarian aid and physical protection. Reports from Indonesian NGOs state that refugees are not only neglected, but are harassed. Recently, at least 32 people were killed in a day-long attack by Muslims on an outlying village in Ambon, the capital of the Maluku Islands. Eyewitnesses stated that the Jihad attackers were aided by government soldiers during the attack on the village of Hatiwe Besar. Many who were killed died violently. Most of them, including a 10-month-old infant, were shot and their bodies were tossed in the fires of houses burned by the attackers. In a different account of recent violence, families in one village that refused to fight were killed and their bodies were found deposited in the wells in the village. Yet another account tells of women and girls who, at the sound of gunfire, `were desperately clawing at the small yellow buses, hammering on the side for the driver to stop and let them on. As we slowed down, they tried to board our vehicle. I had never seen such fear in people's faces, people who knew the sound of automatic guns meant that the army was in action and that death was not far away.' More eyewitness accounts reveal that even 3 weeks ago Jihad warriors were still moving by boat into the Malukus from Java and surrounding islands. One man said, `We desperately need weapons to defend ourselves. Nobody cares about us. Nobody offers to help us. We cannot trust the army because they are often supporting the Jihad fighters. The politicians and authorities talk a lot, but their words and promises are not translated into action.' Many people who witness the violent attacks confirmed that, although the Indonesian Army was present during the attacks, either nothing was done to protect the villagers or some of the soldiers actually joined the aggressors in shooting at the escaping villagers. Unfortunately, even people such as the current leader of the People's Consultative Assembly, Dr. Amien Rais, openly supported calls for Jihad or an Islamic holy war against the Christians and other religious believers in Indonesia. However, there are other Islamic leaders who clearly state that this jihad should not be happening. `A.T. Zees, a Muslim leader in Minahasa, told a crowd of Protestant, Catholic, Hindu, and Buddhist leaders Sept. 14 that the jihad fighters should leave ... In Islam, jihad is a holy war against all evils--not murdering Christians, destroying their houses and churches, robbing, and doing other contemptible deeds,' he said. `A number of peaceful Muslims have tried to protect Christians.' Why does the world not pay attention to the continued violence in which reportedly over 4,000 people have been killed and over 350,000 are now refugees? When the three U.N. workers were killed in East Timorese refugee camps, the whole world raised their voices and condemned the killings--rightly so. Yet, thousands have died in the Malukus, but instead of outrage, silence has reverberated. Church leaders and other community leaders are pleading for the international community to send aid and protect the people against death from the Jihad fighters. Church leaders say that, if the U.N. will not send peacekeepers, the least we ask is that ships be kept ready to evacuate the surviving Christians. Otherwise they will be forced to choose between Islam and death. Mr. Speaker, a whole population has been targeted and is slowly being wiped out or forced out of their homeland. Why will the Indonesian Government not act so that the killing stops? Where is the outrage in the international community? Something must be done, or we will see the destruction of an entire society. Both Christians and Muslims from this area want peace. They have lived in peace for many years and in friendship with their neighbors. We should ask that the IMF, the World Bank, U.N. officials take appropriate action to let the Indonesian Government know that they must take steps to stop the killing. It is not simply an internal Indonesian affair. The Indonesian people are crying out for help from the international community because they are not receiving it from their own government. Delegations from the U.N. and other countries need to visit the Malukus to investigate and report on the bloodshed and destruction throughout the area. In addition, our government needs to seriously consider the implications of resuming the close military ties with the Indonesian Government. The record of human rights abuses by the Indonesian military is well documented. Further, our government needs to examine the religious nature of these killings. This is not simply a local economic conflict. Declarations of Jihad underscore the religious aspects to the violence, and this must be considered in terms of U.S. Government actions. I enjoyed my visit to Indonesia earlier this year. Indonesia is a land of many resources in its people and its abundance of natural resources. We are friends of the Indonesian people. It is our hope that all the people in Indonesia will be able to live in peace. 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