Indonesian students and Australian activists hold pickets in Sydney and Melbourne Following an Indonesian student picket outside the Indonesian Embassy in Canberra on November 16, pickets were also held outside the Indonesian Consulates in Sydney and Melbourne on November 18. The picket in Melbourne was organised by Indonesian students. A protest message was read out and a wreath for the martyred students laid inside the consulate grounds. Indonesian community activists also gave speeches. Activists representing ASIET also attended. About 40 people attended the picket. In Sydney, the picket was organised by ASIET and Warung Nusantara and was also attended by about 40 people. Indonesian speakers from Warta protested the killings in Indonesia and demanded that Habibie and Wiranto be brought to account. ASIET activists also spoke, including National Coordinator, Max Lane. The key demands of the Sydney picket were: 1. that Habibie and Wiranto be brought to account for the killings in Jakarta 2. that Suharto be brought to trial for corruption and the crimes of massacre 3. that the political role of the Armed Forces be ended 4. that all political prisoners be released and all harassment of opposition personalities end In his speech Lane also condemned the recent praise for Habibie by Australian Prime Minister John Howard. Lane expressed opposition to Howard's invitation to Habibie to visit Australia and pledged ASIET's participation in demonstrations against Habibie if he visited Australia. The Sydney picket was covered by ABC National Radio (2JJJ). This included an extended interview of 2JJJ morning programme as well as on news broadcasts. SBS English language and Indonesian language radio also covered the Sydney picket as well as the Melbourne picket. The picket in Sydney was also covered by commercial radio stations, 2UE and 2WS as well as community radio stations. One TV station centre a camera crew. ASIET activities ASIET has also planned public meetings on the future of Indonesia and East Timor in Sydney and Melbourne on November 28 and December 3 respectively. Speakers will be Jose Ramos Horta and PRD leader and recently released political prisoner, Wilson Nurtias. ACTION IN SOLIDARITY WITH INDONESIA AND EAST TIMOR (ASIET) P.O. BOX 458, BROADWAY NSW 2007, AUSTRALIA. Telephone: 61-(0)2-96901230 Fax: 61-(0)2-96901381 Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Webpage: http://www.peg.apc.org/~asiet Free all kidnap victims of the military! No more military in politics! Bring to justice all New Order violators of human rights! Free Xanana Gusmao! Free Budiman Sujatmiko! Free Dita Sari! Free all political prisoners in Indonesia and East Timor! Unban the books of Pramoedya Ananta Toer!
