Letter to the U.S. President

Letter to the U.S. President

Mr. President,

We, members of the House of Representatives of the Republic of
Indonesia, hereby convey our warm greetings to you, Mr.
President, and hope that you will always be in a position to
fulfill your tasks. We also hope that the future will see
increasingly closer relations between the House and the U.S.
Government.

We were extremely startled to hear that there are indications
that the aid of the U.S. Government to a number of NGOs in
Indonesia which was intended to improve the climate of democracy,
the conservation of the environment and the stepping up of human
rights protection in Indonesia, has, according to the
International Herald Tribune and New York Times of May 21, 1998,
in these past few years probably been used by a number of NGOs
for activities which directly and indirectly have disturbed
national stability. National stability is very much needed for
the implementation of reforms in a peaceful and effective way.

It is certainly also known to the U.S. Government that there
are indications that the funds given in aid by the U.S.
Government to Indonesian NGOs since 1995 have probably been used
for purposes other than what was initially intended. Apparently,
however, the U.S. Government has not given adequate attention to
that fact. It has even continued to provide funds amounting to
US$26 million.

The above facts are the basis for us, Indonesian legislators,
to state our stance as follows:

1. The Indonesian House of Representatives appreciates the
U.S. Government's aid to Indonesian NGOs with the objective to
improve the democratic climate, step up human rights protection
and environmental conservation, and we hope that the aid to the
NGOs can be expanded to programs that will be beneficial to the
common people and that they will be conducted with strict
supervision by the U.S. Government, so that the aid is not used
for purposes that are not in accordance with the initial
objectives.

2. National instability will hamper economic growth which will
result in the obstruction of efforts to benefit the people and
disturb stability in the Southeast Asian region.

3. National instability will not encourage the emergence of a
better democratic climate nor the improvement of human rights
protection. It may worsen the situation because society will live
in anxiety and fear.

4. The Indonesian nation makes continuous efforts to improve
its capacity in building a democratic system and in improving
human rights protection and environmental conservation within the
framework of the Indonesian national culture itself.

5. The Indonesian nation as a unitary state consisting of 27
provinces hopes that the U.S. Government, both directly and
indirectly, will not endeavor to divide the Indonesian nation's
unity, by making proposals or exerting pressure which are not in
line with the spirit of unity of the Indonesian nation and
people.

5. The Indonesian nation in its own way and in line with its
culture will settle the various problems it is facing and
appreciates the various forms of aid from friendly nations
without disturbing the integrity and sovereignty of each country.

We hope that you, Mr. President, will assess the problems
wisely in analyzing the situation of our country which is now in
an economic and monetary crisis, and we appreciate the aid that
has been given and which will be given to help Indonesia on the
basis of mutual respect for each country's sovereignty and
integrity.

Wrong steps would aggravate the Indonesian nation's economy
and plunge the common people into suffering.

With best regards.

House of Representatives

Republic of Indonesia