in Jakarta.
Date: Fri, 02 Jul 1999 18:15:40 EST
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Activists protest attack on unarmed demonstrators

MELBOURNE-An emergency protest was held by Action in Solidarity with
Indonesia and East Timor (ASIET) and Resistance on July 2 against the police
attack on unarmed demonstrators in Jakarta on July 1.  Twenty activists from
the two organisations, including Timorese activists occupied Garuda
Indonesian Airlines office for almost an hour in the centre of the city.
One of the organisers of the occupation Kerryn Williams said "We chose
Garuda as a target for the protest because it is owned by the Indonesian
government."

The occupation was met by a rally organised by ASIET and Resistance which
marched up to Garuda to show their support for the occupation.  The
activists inside Garuda agreed to leave the office peacefully to join up
with the rally outside.  The rally was then addressed by Bronwyn Jennings,
an ASIET activist who was part of the occupation.  She explained, "we are
demanding that the Australian government condemn the actions of the
Indonesian military at the pro-democracy rally, that they immediately review
Australian military ties with the Indonesian government and sever them, and
that the Australian government issues a clear statement to the Australian
media to this effect."

The rally also heard from Alex Tilman, an East Timorese activist and
representative of Fretilin, who was also inside Garuda.  Alex outlined the
situation facing the East Timorese in the lead up to the referendum and the
brutal repression the East Timorese have faced, along with Indonesian
activists, at the hands of ABRI, the Indonesian Military.


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