Campaign for an Independent East Timor (S.A.) Inc.
(Member of the Australian Coalition for a Free East Timor and the East
Timor Relief Association/Affiliated to the Australian East Timor Network)
first floor, Torrens House
220 Victoria Square,
ADELAIDE
SOUTH AUSTRALIA 5000
ATTENTION : CHIEF OF STAFF
MEDIA STATEMENT FOR IMMEDIATE USE 23 MAY 1999
ACTU DAY OF SOLIDARITY WITH EAST TIMOR - STOP THE GENOCIDE
-THURSDAY 27 MAY 1999
The Campaign for an Independent East Timor today praised the Australian
Council of Trade Unions for observing Thursday 27 May as a day of
solidarity with East Timor. Andrew Alcock, the Campaign's Information
Officer, released the following statement:
"The call for this day comes at a very crucial time for our East Timorese
friends. Their country is still occupied by the brutal Indonesian army and
the militias that it has organised to terrorise East Timorese who want to
be free from Indonesia.
The main aim of the day will be to call for an effective UN peace making
mission to be sent to East Timor. The presence of international observers
has already demonstrated that the planned UN mission of 600 with 300 police
will be insufficient to achieve calm for a violence-free referendum.
The observers have been able to clearly identify who is responsible for
the ongoing massacres. While investigating the 16 May massacre at Ataro, Mr
David Wimhurst, the spokesperson of the UN Mission in East Timor (UNMIET)
witnessed Indonesian army officers training militias.
On the ABC programme, Background Briefing on 23 May 1999, Dr Dan Murphy,
the American who has been working in East Timor said that someone from
outside is going to have to take charge because there is no security inside
East Timor.
He believes that the only hope is for an international peace making effort.
The alternative is that there will continue to be ethnic cleansing and
genocide. Dr Murphy claims that all the weapons are on one side - the
Indonesian military and the militias.
He told of the massive brutality occurring in Timor. During the Liquica
Massacre, people went to the church for refuge - they were all murdered by
the militias. Others sought shelter in a house. The militias tear gassed
the house and shot the people as they emerged. Dr Murphy also expressed
frustration because he does not have adequate resources to cope with the
situation. He is not a surgeon and the Motael Clinic where he works is
not geared for large numbers of surgical casualties. Sister Josephine
Mitchell, an Australian nun, told of wounded young East Timorese going to
Indonesian hospitals and not receiving treatment.
These reports support the claims of the East Timorese and their supporters
that the Indonesian regime is using the militias in an attempt to terrorise
the Timorese into accepting autonomy with Indonesia. They also demonstrate
that the change of leadership of Indonesian regime one year ago has not
stopped the bloodshed and terror in this tiny nation.
It is time for the western world to stop its callous appeasement of the
brutal Indonesian regime to bring an end to the terror, bloodshed and
suffering in East Timor. The ACTU rally in Adelaide will, therefore, also
call for the UN to demand that Indonesia withdraws all its troops from East
Timor before the August referendum and organise an international boycott of
military cooperation with Indonesia. NO MORE EAST TIMORESE BLOOD FOR OIL".
CONTACTS:
Andrew (Andy) Alcock
Information Officer
Campaign for an Independent East Timor (South Australia) Inc
Phone: 61 8 83710480 (home) Pager: 61 8 84157467
Facsimile: 61 8 82236509
Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Chris White
Secretary, United Trades and Labour Council (South Australia)
Phone: 61 8 83528585
Mobile: 0418830297
AIMS OF THE ADELAIDE ACTU SOLIDARITY DAY RALLY:
The aims of the rally are to stop more killing in East Timor by calling for
the following:
1. Call on the Australian Government to work for a UN peace making mission
in East Timor that is adequate to:
- control the militias & the Indonesian army
-ensure the integrity of the 8 August 1999 ballot
2. The right of the East Timorese to vote on their future free of terror &
violence
3. Urgent distribution of food & medical supplies in ET free from attack by
militias & the Indonesian military
4. Pressure to be put on the Indonesian government to:
- disarm & disband the militias
- withdraw the Indonesian army from East Timor
5. Call on UN members to halt all military cooperation with Indonesia
6. Call for wider union, community and government action if Indonesia does
not take steps to halt the violence by disarming the militias and
withdrawing its army from East Timor
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