Campaign for an Independent East Timor (S.A.) Inc
Affiliated to the East Timor Relief Association, Australian Coalition
for a Free East Timor & the Australia East Timor Network
ATTENTION: CHIEF OF STAFF
MEDIA RELEASE: 20 JANUARY 1999
AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT ON WRONG TRACK ABOUT EAST TIMOR'S INDEPENDENCE UTLC
MOTION SHOWS WAY FORWARD
The Information Officer of the Campaign for an Independent East
Timor, Andrew Alcock, released the following statement today to reply
to the Government's statements about an independent East Timor. The
release also contains details of a resolution on East Timor that
was carried unanimously by South Australia's Trades and Labour
Council on 19 January:
"The recent statements by the Australian PM and Foreign Minister give
the world the impression they begrudge the East Timorese the right to
independence. They have told the world that an independent East Timor
could cost Australia $50 million per annum.
We believe that this is saying to the world that Australia is trying
to block East Timorese freedom from 24 years of terror because it
does not want to live up to its obligations.
For the past 24 years, Australian governments have supported
Indonesia's illegal occupation of East Timor. Now that this appears
certain to change, the Australian Government wants to blame those who
want this crime to stop for the problem that successive Australian
governments have caused.
We challenge the Australian Government to release details of the
costs to Australian taxpayers of the military aid and cooperation
extended to Indonesia and the profits made from arms and equipment
sales to Indonesia over the past 25 years.
It would be interesting to see how these figures compare to Mr
Downer's $50 million calculation. What ordinary decent Australians
cannot understand is why Mr Downer and Mr Howard are displaying such
a mean - minded attitude to the East Timorese. Haven't these people
suffered enough at the hands of the Indonesian dictatorship?
As ordinary Australians, we call on our government to display some
compassion and decency towards the East Timorese people and help end
the nightmare that they have suffered for the past 25 years.
Last night, the trade union movement in SA passed a resolution that
gives an overview of what the UN and Australian Government can do to
assist the peace process in East Timor. It also contains suggestions
for what the Australian trade union movement can do to assist the
peace process.
We call on the Australian Government to take the action recommended
for it in the motion as this would contribute greatly to achieving
peace and an end to suffering in East Timor. "
THE UTLC (SA) RESOLUTION
'This meeting of the United Trades and Labour Council held on 19 February
1999 notes:
* events are moving rapidly in East Timor and there is now a stronger
possibility for the East Timorese to achieve independence than there
has been for the past 24 years provided that there is appropriate support
from the UN and democratic governments
*the messages coming from the Indonesian regime seem to be
contradictory about intentions to allow an act of self determination or
independence
* East Timorese civilians are still being tortured, raped and murdered by
the Indonesian forces and by the "pro Indonesian militias"
* some of these crimes are extremely brutal and include the dismembering of
victims, and so far, most have never been officially investigated by the UN
*the Australian Government claims to support of an act of self
determination, but is very grudging regarding the issue of independence
for the East Timorese
people
* Mr Howard assumes that the Indonesian military can remain to protect the
civilian population despite the fact that it has been responsible for
genocide and gross violations of human rights during its years of illegal
occupation
The UTLC believes that peace and justice will only come to East Timor when
there is a concerted international effort to ensure that Indonesia
withdraws all
of its forces and the people of East Timor have the right to participate in
a genuine act of self determination.
Council, therefore, calls upon:
1. the UN to:
(1) Negotiate the release of East Timor's respected leader, Xanana
Gusmao, so that he may participate in the continuing UN peace talks
between Indonesia and Portugal
(2) Send a peace keeping force with sufficient personnel and
resources to East Timor to:
* maintain law and order and protect the civilian population from the
excesses of the Indonesian military and its militias
* oversee the complete withdrawal of Indonesian troops
* disarm and disband the pro Indonesian militias
* coordinate an act of national self determination for the people
of East Timor
(3) Urge all member nations to cooperate with a ban on all military
cooperation with Indonesia which should include:
* no sales of arms, military equipment, aircraft, ships or spare parts
* no military aid
* no provision of training for personnel of the Indonesian armed
forces
* no joint exercises with Indonesian armed forces
* no exchange of intelligence information
(4) Conduct investigations of massacres and other human rights violations
- including the Alas Massacre of November 1998
(5) Assist with the coordination of the activities of relief agencies
operating in East Timor
(6) Pressure the Indonesian Government to pay reparations for its
crimes in East Timor
(7) Urge those governments that have provided arms and military
equipment to Indonesia during its illegal occupation of East Timor to
provide aid to East Timor which is at least equivalent to their income
from military sales
2. The Australian Government to:
(1) Cooperate with the UN in its peacekeeping and self determination
coordinating roles and offer to send an Australian contingent as requested
by Nobel Peace Laureate, Dr Jose Ramos Horta
(2) Cease all military cooperation with Indonesia
(3) Revoke the shameful Timor Gap Treaty
(4) Channel aid to East Timor through Ausaid, East Timor Relief
Association, APHEDA, Community Aid Abroad and other reputable aid
organisations, but not agencies of the Indonesian Government
(5) Allow East Timorese refugees in Australia to remain here until the
Indonesian military withdraws from their country making it safe to return
(6) Make an official apology to the East Timorese people for the long
period of official Australian betrayal and give an official thank you for
their costly support of Australia during World War 2
3. The Australian Council of Trade Unions to:
(1) Send greetings of solidarity to the respected East Timorese leader,
Xanana Gusmao, and pledge support for the just struggle for East Timorese
independence
(2) Lobby the UN and the Australian Government to take the steps outlined
in Sections 1 and 2 of this resolution
(3) Provide solidarity aid to East Timor through the reputable aid
organisations mentioned in Section 2(4)
(4) Encourage affiliates and the Federal ALP Opposition to take the above
steps'
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:
Contact:
Andrew (Andy) Alcock
Information Officer
CIET(SA) Inc
Phone: 08 83710480 (home)
08 82053259 (work)
Pager: 08 84157467
Facsimile: 08 82236509
Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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