Campaign for an Independent East Timor (South Australia) Inc.
Affiliated to the East Timor Relief Association, the Australian Coalition
for a Free East Timor and the Australian East Timor Network=20
Global Education Centre
first floor, Torrens House
220 Victoria Square,=20
ADELAIDE =09
SOUTH AUSTRALIA 5000
ATTENTION: CHIEF OF STAFF
MEDIA STATEMENT FOR IMMEDIATE USE 25 MAY 1999
THE ETHNIC CLEANSING IN EAST TIMOR CONTINUES UNABATED =20
SUPPORT THE ACTU DAY OF SOLIDARITY WITH EAST TIMOR 27 MAY =20
The Campaign for an Independent East Timor reacted angrily to the weekend
news that yet another massacre had occurred in East Timor. Its Information
Officer, Andrew Alcock, released the following statement:
"The weekend attack by pro-integration militia supported by Kopassus,
Indonesia's special forces unit, should be of great concern to all those
who cherish the principles of democracy and freedom.=20
The Australian (24/5/99) reported that at least 10 people were killed in
Deudet, a village 120km south-west of the East Timorese capital Dili. =20
Reliable sources say the alleged murders occurred simultaneously as reports
that militias were planning yet another campaign of mass terror and
intimidation if the referendum scheduled for August 8 favours independence.
=20
Kopassus soldiers in civilian clothes evidently crossed the border between
West and East Timor and occupied Deudet to provide support to the
Halilintar (Scorpion) militia, who carried out the attack.=20
Bakin, the Indonesian military intelligence coordinating agency, is
reported to have issued instructions to pro Indonesian militias that
independence supporters must be eliminated after the referendum if
integration is rejected by the East Timorese. The instructions also contain
details the level of support the militia can expect to receive from the
military.
Surely these reports should indicate to the UN and western leaders who
insisted that Indonesia should be responsible for security in East Timor
during the lead up to the UN supervised referendum have been proved
horribly wrong. The East Timorese are paying for this misguided decision
with their blood.
It should demonstrate to even the most na=EFve of political leaders that the
Indonesian dictatorship led by Dr Habibie does not care about world opinion
nor does it intend to cooperate with the self determination process. The
East Timorese will be butchered into submission if that is what it takes. =
=20
Habibie, Wiranto and Alatas believe they can get away with their actions
because of the 24 years of appeasement by the western world as it
attempted to profit out of the illegal occupation of East Timor - either by
pirating Timor's oil or selling arms to the invader.=20
If this is the new world order, many who risked their lives to fight
against nazism during World War 2 might well ask why they bothered.
We call on all Australians who support freedom and peace for the East
Timorese to support the ACTU (Australian Council for Trade Unions) Day of
Solidarity with East Timor on Thursday 27 May 1999. It is obvious that we
need thousands of people to speak out because Australian leaders do not
appear reluctant to support effective strategies to bring peace to Timor.=20
Their response is to tell East Timorese in Australia that they will have to
return to the killing fields or be deemed to be Portuguese citizens. Given
their support of us during World War 2, why can't the East Timorese be
accorded the same cordial welcome as the refugees from Kosovo?
Australians are being asked to attend rallies and to fax or post letters
to Australian and Indonesian leaders about the situation in East Timor.
Supporters of the action include:
*Bishop Hilton Deakin [Catholic Church] *Amnesty International
*Australian Council of Trade Unions *East Timor Relief Association
*Council for National Timorese Resistance
*ASIET/DSP/Resistance
*Australian East Timorese Association *Australian churches
*Australian Council for Overseas Aid *APHEDA (ACTU aid org) =20
*Australian Coalition for a Free East Timor
*Mary MacKillop Institute of East Timorese Studies=20
*Campaign for an Independent East Timor(SA)Inc
*Timorese Association of Victoria
Cardinal Clancy has prepared a message for the Sydney rally which, it is
hoped, will be read out at other rallies around Australia".
THE RALLY IN ADELAIDE
12.30 pm Thursday 27 May 1999
Outside Garuda Office
76 Waymouth St
ADELAIDE
SPEAKERS:
* Father Rob Egar (former Vicar General, Catholic Church)
* Richard Mills [Amnesty International]
* Dr Richie Gun [Chairperson, Campaign for an Independent East Timor (SA)
Inc]
* Steve Spence [Sec ME&AA SA, former President UTLC SA]
* representative from the East Timorese community
* ASIET speaker
CHAIR: Anne Drohan [President UTLC SA]
=20
CONTACTS:
Chris White [Secretary UTLC] 08 82123155
Andy Alcock [Info Officer, CIET (SA) inc] 08 84157467 (pager)=20
08 83710480
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=20
-ensure the integrity of the 8 August 1999 ballot
=09
2. The right of the East Timorese to vote on their future free of terror &
violence
=09
3. Urgent distribution of food & medical supplies in ET free from attack by
militias & the Indonesian military
=09
4. Pressure to be put on the Indonesian government to:
- disarm & disband the militias
- withdraw the Indonesian army from East Timor
=09
5. Call on UN members to halt all military cooperation with Indonesia
=09
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
=09
--
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