Statement on Indonesia and East Timor initiated by ASIET
Cut all military ties with Indonesia!
Disarm the pro-integration terror gangs!
Indonesian army out of East Timor!
Self-determination for East Timor now!
We oppose the war against the East Timorese people by both the
pro-integration terror gangs and the Indonesian army (ABRI). We support
the right of the Timorese people to defend themselves and to
self-determination.
The Habibie government, which previously opposed independence for East
Timor, has been forced to retreat by publicly stating that if the East
Timorese rejected autonomy, then independence would be the next step.
Habibie was pushed to this point as a result of mounting pressure from
the escalating protest movement inside East Timor, in particular by the
student movement. The Habibie regime's hand has also been forced by the
massive student protests in November 1998, the growing struggle for
self-determination in Aceh and West Papua and the escalating social
tension in many other parts of Indonesia such as Ambon and Kalimantan.
International pressure on the Habibie regime has to be stepped up
however in the light of the activities of the pro-integration
paramilitary terror gangs which operate in tandem with the Indonesian
army.
The ``cease-fire'' announced on April 21 will do nothing to stem the
violent attacks on East Timorese campaigning for self-determination
unless the ABRI-backed terror gangs are disarmed, ABRI leaves and a
referendum on self-determination be held in peace.
For this to happen, we believe it is necessary that the United Nations
be called immediately to monitor the withdrawal of all Indonesian forces
and that it, together with delegations of solidarity, trade union,
peace, women's and church representatives, supervise the referendum on
independence.
We also call on the Australian government to:
* step up the pressure on Jakarta to allow the United Nations to fulfil
the above two tasks;
* end its recognition of Indonesian sovereignty over East Timor;
* end military ties with Jakarta; and
* call on the Indonesian regime to withdraw its troops from East Timor
and disarm the terror gangs.
Name
__________________________________Tel__________________E-mail________________
Organisation and
position___________________________________________________________
(For identification purposes only)
Please return your endorsement to ASIET, PO Box 458, Broadway NSW 2007,
Australia
Tel: +61 2 9690 1032
Fax: 9690 1381
E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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