- Author(s):
- Parliamentary Assembly
- Origin
- See Doc. 6533, motion for an order presented by Mr Soares Costa. Text adopted by the Standing Committee, acting on behalf of the Assembly, on 25 November 1991.
1. While affirming its commitment to the protection of the human rights, freedom and democracy of peoples, the Assembly strongly condemns the massacre in East Timor on 12 November 1991 and the violence constantly perpetrated by the occupying Indonesian forces.
2. The Assembly would draw attention to its
Resolution 966 (1991) on East Timor ; given that the Indonesian Government is continuing with, and stepping up, its policy of crime and genocide, it considers that the international community should take steps to ensure the establishment of conditions whereby the people of East Timor can exercise the right to self-determination and independence, a right which is recognised by the United Nations Charter and the resolutions of the United Nations Security Council and General Assembly.
3. For these reasons, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe again demands that the Indonesian Government :
3.1 call a halt to all violence and all violations of international standards safeguarding respect for human rights and the right of peoples to self-determination and independence ;
3.2 withdraw the armed forces from the territory of East Timor so that the governing authority can fulfil the mandate recognised by the United Nations and create the political conditions necessary for the free exercise of the right to self-determination ;
3.3 immediately open up the territory of East Timor so that international humanitarian and human rights organisations can do humanitarian work there and assess the situation with regard to human rights violations.
4. The Assembly supports the statements made by its President and his request, on 15 November 1991, for a detailed, impartial and internationally supervised inquiry into these highly regrettable incidents. It would also draw attention to the resolution adopted on 21 November 1991 by the European Parliament, which is prepared to send a parliamentary delegation to assess the situation in East Timor. The Assembly therefore calls on the Committee of Ministers to instruct the appropriate Council of Europe bodies to set up a joint committee of parliamentarians and human rights experts to assess the situation in East Timor on the spot, without constraints.
5. The Assembly considers it necessary, and asks the international community :
5.1 to introduce an immediate embargo on arms to Indonesia ;
5.2 to suspend immediately military support for Indonesia ;
5.3 to provide food aid and medical assistance for the East Timor population.
6. The Assembly requests its Political Affairs Committee, its Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights and its Committee on Parliamentary and Public Relations to monitor the situation that has existed in East Timor since the massacre on 12 November 1991 and report back as soon as possible.
