Support the Peace Process and Human Rights in Aceh
November 18, 2003

Dear Colleague:

A human rights tragedy is occurring right now with scant international
attention in Aceh, a conflict-ridden province of Indonesia. The Government
of Indonesia declared martial law there on May 19, 2003 following the
breakdown of an internationally brokered ceasefire between the Government
and the rebel Free Aceh Movement. The U.S. government played a strong and
active role in achieving the ceasefire and senior administration officials,
including President Bush, have stated since its breakdown that the conflict
in Aceh is not amenable to a military solution.
The Indonesian Government has effectively barred international humanitarian
and human rights organizations from Aceh. Even the International Committee
of the Red Cross no longer has a presence. Access to the province by
international and Indonesian press has been severely limited, with
Indonesian journalists intimidated, including the reported murder of
several. The Government of Indonesia‚s military campaign has displaced
scores of thousands of civilians and extensive violations of human rights
are alleged to have occurred, including extra-judicial killing, torture,
rape, sexual assault, arbitrary detention, forced displacement, and
destruction of property. The Indonesian Government, Armed Forces and Police
have especially targeted domestic human rights and humanitarian
non-governmental organizations. It is feared that a large-scale
humanitarian crisis is underway, though there can be no independent
verification. The following resolution protests these unconscionable
violations.
Negotiations fully backed by the U.S. government and suspended last May,
offer the best hope for peace in Aceh. Decades of armed conflict have
clearly demonstrated that violence, regardless of its justification, cannot
win the hearts and minds of the Acehnese people but only results in
ever-increasing casualties and further alienation of the civilian
population. Please join myself and Representatives Christopher H. Smith,
Lane Evans, and Phil English in cosponsoring this most important resolution
calling for an immediate ceasefire and an end to all human rights
violations in Aceh.
If you would like to become a cosponsor of this resolution or
for more information please contact Gregg Sheiowitz in my office at 5-3965
or via email at
<mailto:gregg.sheiowitz@mail.house.gov>gregg.sheiowitz@mail.house.gov.

Sincerely,

Joseph Crowley
Member of Congress

Chris Smith
Member of Congress

Lane Evans
Member of Congress

Phil English
Member of Congress