Udall Introduces Resolution To Promote Reconciliation On 50th Anniversary of Indonesian Massacres

MDM15G27

S.L.C.

114TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION

S. RES. ll

Expressing the sense of the Senate regarding the need for reconciliation
in Indonesia and disclosure by the United States Government of events
surrounding the mass killings during 1965 and 1966.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

Mr. UDALL

llllllllll
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the
Committee on llllllllll

RESOLUTION
Expressing the sense of the Senate regarding the need for
reconciliation in Indonesia and disclosure by the United
States Government of events surrounding the mass
killings during 1965 and 1966.
Whereas, on October 1, 1965, 6 Indonesian Army generals
were killed by military personnel, including members of
Indonesias Presidential Guard, and these killings were
blamed on the Indonesian Communist Party and labeled
an attempted Communist coup detat;
Whereas this alleged coup was used to justify the mass killing
of alleged supporters of the Indonesian Communist
Party, with estimates of the number of dead ranging
from 500,000 to 1,000,000 killed;

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Whereas the targeted individuals were predominantly unarmed civilians, and often included members of trade
unions, intellectuals, teachers, ethnic Chinese, and those
involved in the womens movement;
Whereas these killings and the imprisonment of up to
1,000,000 targeted individuals were done without due
process of law;
Whereas the targeted individuals were subject to extrajudicial
execution, torture, rape, forced disappearance, forced
labor, and forced eviction;
Whereas the United States Central Intelligence Agency, in a
1968 research study, described the period as one of the
worst mass murders of the twentieth century;
Whereas the United States Government provided the Indonesian Army with financial, military, and intelligence
support during the period of the mass killings, and did
so aware that such killings were taking place as recorded
in partially declassified documents in the Department of
State history, Foreign Relations of the United States,
pertaining to this period;
Whereas, within months of military leader Suhartos assumption of the Presidency following the mass killing, the
United States Government began sending economic and
military support to Suhartos military regime, and played
an indispensable role in its consolidation of power;
Whereas aid to the Suharto government continued for more
than 3 decades, despite on-going crimes against humanity
committed by the Suharto government, including mass
killing and other gross violations of human rights during
the invasion and subsequent 24-year occupation of East
Timor;

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Whereas perpetrators of the 1965 and 1966 mass killings
have largely lived with impunity, and the survivors and
descendants of the victims suffer continuing economic
discrimination and had limited civil and political rights
for decades, as noted in the 2012 report by the Indonesian National Commission on Human Rights;
Whereas the United States Government has not yet fully declassified all relevant documents concerning this time period, and full disclosure could help bring historical clarity
to atrocities committed in Indonesia during 1965 and
1966;
Whereas the United States Government has recently supported the declassification and release of documents in
support of truth and reconciliation efforts following periods of violence in countries such as Chile and Brazil;
Whereas open dialogue about alleged past crimes against humanity and past human rights violations is important for
continued efforts to reconcile populations of Indonesia
and to ensure a stable, sustainable peace that will benefit
the region and beyond;
Whereas, Indonesia has undergone a remarkable democratic
transition over the last 2 decades, and is the worlds
third largest democracy with the largest Muslim population in the world;
Whereas through free and fair elections, the people of Indonesia have elected new leaders who now have the opportunity to establish a culture of accountability in partnership with the countrys vibrant civil society, press, academia, and human rights activists;
Whereas the relationship between the United States and Indonesia is strong and involves many shared interests, as

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reflected in the 2010 United States-Indonesia Comprehensive Partnership, including democracy and civil society, education, security, climate and environment, energy, and trade and investment;
Whereas the economic relationship between the United States
and Indonesia is strong, with bilateral goods trade exceeding $27,000,000,000 and with major United States
companies making significant long-term investments in
Indonesia; and
Whereas strong relations between the United States and Indonesia are mutually beneficial to both countries: Now,
therefore, be it
1
2
3

Resolved, That the Senate

(1) condemns the mass murder in Indonesia
during 1965 and 1966;

(2) expresses great concern about the lack of

accountability enjoyed by those who carried out

crimes during this period;

(3) urges political leaders in Indonesia

(A) to consider a truth, justice, and rec-

onciliation commission to address alleged crimes

10

against humanity and other human rights viola-

11

tions; and

12

(B) to work to mend differences and ani-

13

mosity that remain after the mass killings dur-

14

ing 1965 and 1966; and

15

(4) calls on the Department of State, the De-

16

partment of Defense, the Central Intelligence Agen-

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1

cy, and others involved in developing and imple-

menting policy towards Indonesia during this time

period to establish an interagency working group

(A) to locate, identify, inventory, rec-

ommend for declassification, and make available

to the public all classified records and docu-

ments concerning the mass killings of 1965 and

1966, including records and documents per-

taining to covert operations in Indonesia from

10

January 1, 1964, through March 30, 1966;

11

(B) to coordinate with Federal agencies

12

and take such actions as necessary to expedite

13

the release of such records to the public; and

14

(C) to submit a report to Congress that

15

describes all such records, the disposition of

16

such records, and the activities of the Inter-

17

agency Group.

Udall Introduces Resolution To Promote Reconciliation On 50th Anniversary of Indonesian Massacres

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MDM15G27

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

Resolved, That the Senate

(2) expresses great concern about the lack of

accountability enjoyed by those who carried out

crimes during this period;

(3) urges political leaders in Indonesia

(A) to consider a truth, justice, and rec-

onciliation commission to address alleged crimes

against humanity and other human rights viola-

(B) to work to mend differences and ani-

mosity that remain after the mass killings dur-

ing 1965 and 1966; and

(4) calls on the Department of State, the De-

partment of Defense, the Central Intelligence Agen-

cy, and others involved in developing and imple-

menting policy towards Indonesia during this time

period to establish an interagency working group

(A) to locate, identify, inventory, rec-

ommend for declassification, and make available

to the public all classified records and docu-

ments concerning the mass killings of 1965 and

1966, including records and documents per-

taining to covert operations in Indonesia from

January 1, 1964, through March 30, 1966;

(B) to coordinate with Federal agencies

and take such actions as necessary to expedite

the release of such records to the public; and

(C) to submit a report to Congress that

describes all such records, the disposition of

such records, and the activities of the Inter-

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