Dear Friends
There will be a rally as part of the ACTU Solidarity Day for East Timor on
27 May. The details are below. Union, church, aid, solidarity and community
groups are welcome to participate.
BACKGROUND
As you would be aware, militias that have been recruited, armed, trained,
paid and coordinated by the Indonesian military are roaming East Timor at
will. Since the end of last year, these psychopaths who have been drugged
to the eyeballs, have killed hundreds of people. Almost every day, we hear
of another community that has been terrorised due to the activities of
these groups and their Indonesian military masters.
Their victims have been raped, tortured, disembowelled, shot, hacked or
bludgeoned to death. East Timor is suffering a neo nazi nightmare and the
international response to this tragic situation is underwhelming. The UN
intends to send a team of 600 to organise a referendum so that the East
Timores can determine their future.
Of the 600 personnel, 300 will be police officers who may or may not be
armed. This team is expected to restore security so that the referendum can
occur without terror and intimidation. In effect, these police officers
will be expected to control several thousand lawless militias and the
Indonesian military which still has between 15-20,000 personnel illegally
occupying East Timor.
It should also be remembered that the Indonesian military occupation during
nearly 24 years has led to the deaths of about 300,000 or over a third of
the East Timorese population. This is genocide or ethnic cleansing at its
worst. It is therefore irresponsible in the extreme to expect this army to
control the militias and restore peace.
In spite of this situation, some western governments continue military
cooperation with the Indonesian regime. These countries include Australia,
the US and the UK. Only 2 weeks ago, the British Government sent 2 Hawk
Attack military aircraft to the Indonesian regime. These planes have
contributed greatly to the genocide in East Timor and West Papua (or Irian
Jaya as it is called by the colonisers).
It is essential that we urge as many as possible to support this action to
urge the Australian Government to take a more responsible and compassionate
approach to achieving peace and justice in our region.
DETAILS OF ACTION:
The action in Adelaide is being organised by the United Trades & Labour
Council and the Campaign for an Independent East Timor (SA) Inc.
Due to the late notice, a planning meeting will be held at the UTLC
Boardroom on Friday 21 May at 2pm. Interested unions and community groups
are welcome to attend. Details are below:
RALLY:
12.30 pm Thursday 27 May 1999
Outside Garuda Office
76 Waymouth St
ADELAIDE
Speakers from Amnesty, union, church, aid, solidarity groups
PLANNING MEETING
There will be a planning meeting for interested unions and community groups at
2pm Friday 21 May 1999
Board Room
United Trades & Labour Council
Trades Hall
11 South Tce, Adelaide
AIMS:
* call on the Australian Government to work for a UN peacemaking mission in
East Timor that is adequate to:
- control the militias & the Indonesian army
-ensure the integrity of the 8 August 1999 ballot
* the right of the East Timorese to vote on their future free of terror &
violence
* urgent distribution of food & medical supplies in ET free from attack by
militias & the Indonesian military
* pressure on the Indonesian government to:
- disarm & disband the militias
- withdraw the Indonesian army from East Timor
* call on UN members to halt all military cooperation with Indonesia
* call for wider union and community action if Indonesia does not take
steps to halt the violence by disarming the militias and withdrawing its
army from East Timor
In solidarity
Viva Timor Leste
Chris White
Secretary
United Trades & Labour Council
Andy Alcock
Campaign for an Independent East Timor (SA) Inc
LL.SE
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