Dear Mike
I understand your feelings about East Timor- I am sure that the majority of
Indonesian people also feel the same -
However- the anti-Indonesian bias of the press and protesters in Australia
is both inappropriate and counter-productive-
In fact I feel really angry at the ignorance and rudeness of some Australian
people - especially in the burning of the Indonesian flag which insults all
Indonesian people -
Have YOU forgotten that the majority of Indonesian ppl voted for DEMOKRASI
in the last election - not for GOLKAR- ABRI - how easily you and other ppl
forget!
And I wish you would stop sending warnings!!!!!
Who do you think you are warning!!! You talk like a panphlet - instead of a
person talking to other ppl - most of whom are very concerned and care about
East Timor-
I have include a copy of the message I recently sent to members of AIAA-
Australia Indonesia Arts Alliance. Through talking with members of Indoz-
net and Indonesian family and friends - I have realised how hurtful the
flag-burning is and have started to write to organisations to ask them to
help dissuade protesters from insulting the rakyat of Indonesia.
Dear Friends
I have personally taken the following actions regarding the East Timor
situation over the last few months:
Provision of web site space and maintenance of Lismore- Byron Friends of
East Timor Web site.
Discussed with leaders of FET the need to avoid racism against Indonesian
people and to be clear and truthful about who is responsible for the current
crisis ie the Indonesian military (which has also had the support of the
Australian government until recently)
Attendance at FET meetings as an observer/supporter and as a member of the
Indonesian community, making the point at that time that I could not become
a member as I could not agree with trade sactions against Indonesia
considering the poverty and economic crisis affecting the people of
Indonesia - trade sactions having little effect on the wealthy and powerful,
but dire effects on the poor in Indonesia.
Inclusion of information about Hope in East Timor refugee support
organisation in Inspirasi Magazine.
This week -
Attendance at East Timor Rally and March in Byron Bay - myself and another
member of the local Indonesian community spoke to the incensed crowd about
the need for protesters to pray for peace and to acknowledge that the
Parliament of Indonesia does not support the declaration of martial law or
the actions of the military in East Timor, that the Indonesian people are
our friends and they need our support to work together for peace.
Sent emails to Ibu Megawati and Bpk Habibie asking them to take action now
to stop the violence in East Timor.
Participation in Indoz-net ( 330 Indonesian students) on-line discussion
group which includes pro and anti -members, which has been discussing East
Timor with some members making suggestions about ways to respond as
Indonesian community members who disagree with the violence in Indonesia and
East Timor.
Wrote a letter to International East Timor support group pointing out the
counter-productive nature of burning Indonesian flags - as this alienates
the people of Indonesia and Indonesian East Timor Support Groups by turning
Rallies for East Timor Support into exercises in anti - Indonesian racism.
Some of you may be involved with East Timor Support Groups - if so I would
ask you to explain to the organisers that altho it seems a minor point to
us- it is deeply insulting to ALL Indonesian people to burn the Indonesian
flag (or attack innocent Indonesian citizens or Embassy staff) - it would be
more appropriate to burn our own flag as the Australian government bears
responsibilty for the current situation as well.
I believe the people of Indonesia do not support ABRI's behaviour in TIMTIM
but the more that Australians incite racial hatred towards Indonesia, their
leaders use this to deflect criticism from themselves onto us. Tension
between Australia and Indonesia is used as a smoke screen by Ali Alatas and
sectors of the Indonesian press to blame Australia for being anti-Indonesian
and thereby discredit the protests re East Timor.
The more that Australian protesters can acknowledge the growing numbers of
Indonesian protesters in Jakarta- the more Indonesian people will feel
supported in speaking out against the actions of their own government.
My own slogan is - WE LOVE INDONESIA WE LOVE EAST TIMOR
PEACE IN EAST TIMOR NOW
If Australia could send love and support to Indonesia now instead of hate -
there is a greater chance that Indonesian people will join the protesters in
Jakarta. Do you think its possible that the Australian protesters could
focus their energy on being truthful and specific about who is responsible -
instead of hurting the East Timor cause by being racist against Indonesia in
general. Any Australian protester who cannot say the above statement is
acting out of hate rather than love and has forgotten all the Indonesian
friends they made on their trips to Bali and Jogja.
The only people who have so far been able to successfully oppose the
Indonesian government are rakyat Indonesia -
I know that some AIAA members may disagree entirely with what I have said -
please write back making suggested responses to the letter below.
Best wishes always
Judy.
>Wake up there!!
>Australians don't give a damn about the loss of economic trade between
>Indonesia and Australia. We just want to have the killings stopped and if
it
>means that we will pay from our pockets to save those lives, so be it.
>
>How can one put a price on a life??
>
>The issue is not that of anti-Indonesian, but one of ethnic cleansing and
The use of the word ethnic cleansing is fashionable and inflamatory, but
incorrect - the motivations for what is happening in TIMTIM have more to do
with economics, power games etc and not ethnic cleansing at all - people
just like to use this word because it makes the situation look even worse -
its already sad enough!!!!
>genocide. And, sorry my friend, it is done in the name of your military,
the
>paymasters of the militia.
>
>I warned you week ago about the collective guilt that ALL Indonesians will
>carry, regardless of how they viewed these atrocities.
I am also getting tired of people talking on behalf of whole countries- you
said in your last email that Australians are going to hold this against
Indonesians for long time etc- I know many many Australian people who are
more realistic and less whipped up into a frenzy -while still caring deeply
about TIMTIM
I totally disagree with ppl saying all Indonesians or all Australians feel
.......................
Go to Quensland Art Gallery and view the anti- army art produced by
Indonesian artists as part of APT3 - and hear my voice - MANY AUSTRALIANS
LOVE INDONESIA AND THE INDONESIAN PEOPLE - Even if 20,000 militia are
guilty - please acknowledge-
% of 200,000,000- = .001 of the population - please correct me If my maths
is wrong!!!!!
therefor the other 99.999% have not been involved in the events in TIMTIM-
Salam dari Judy
Michael
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: Siswanto Siswo <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>To: Multiple recipients of list <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>Sent: Sunday, 12 September 1999 11:30
>Subject: Re: TIMOR TIMUR - TIMOR BARAT
>
>
>> From: Drewsta Merefield <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>>
>> >i don't see how you think the media will pay for what they have done.
>> >Pertama-tama siapa bisa make thm pay dan untuk apa?
>>
>> NOT to pay using MONEY, but to pay due to its result/impact, coz media
>> already teach to public/people to create a certain image.
>>
>> Say in the next 10 - 20 years, when Indonesia will recover from the hell
>> political and economical situation, the young Indonesian people who
>already
>> have a bad image about Australia and broken hurt, will make, for example:
>a
>> decision NOT prefer to have more business to Oz, NOT prefer to have any
>> collaboration with Oz, etc. That's huge expensive loss impact of the
>current
>> media.
>>
>> wes-e-wes
>>
>> ______________________________________________________
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