INDONESIA OUT! AUST. ROUNDUP The following articles were published in "The Guardian", newspaper of the Communist Party of Australia in its issue of Wednesday, September 15th, 1999. Contact address: 65 Campbell Street, Surry Hills. Sydney. 2010 Australia. Phone: (612) 9212 6855 Fax: (612) 9281 5795. Email: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Webpage: http://www.peg.apc.org/~guardian Subscription rates on request. ****************************** By Lynne Androniki Habibie's announcement that Indonesia will accept a UN peace keeping force provides some light and hope for the East Timorese people, the dark days of the past two weeks have brought tens of thousands onto the streets in protest at the savage Indonesian massacres. Across Australia and in other countries, countless actions of solidarity and protest have taken place. The Australian Government's role has come in for strong criticism. Belatedly the UN and other governments have been forced to act. The Indonesian military portrayed the recent situation in East Timor as being one of chaos, when in fact it was a carefully orchestrated and revengeful pursuit of key independence supporters coupled with the brutal slaughter of civilians in key pro-independence areas. There has been the forced removal of tens of thousands of East Timorese to various parts of Indonesia, carefully planned prior to the independence ballot taking place. Time will reveal the death toll from the slaughter. Time will reveal how many are dying from starvation and disease. Time will show whether anything remains standing and operational in East Timor. The Australian Government and the UN knew this was going to happen. It was made very clear to Foreign Affairs Minister Downer while he was in East Timor that the Indonesian military had a clear and brutal plan. But Downer and other Australian leaders lobbied the Indonesian Government and the Indonesian Armed Forces to take control of the situation in East Timor. But they were already in control and Downer's appeals resulted only in more battalions being sent to the area, increasing the scale of violence and destruction. The Indonesian rulers have always spoken about their occupation of West Papua, East Timor and Aceh as being part of an almost ancient historical notion of a united Indonesian archipelago and that the Indonesian Armed Forces had to be strong in these areas so that they could stop separatist movements from destroying the glorious Indonesian dream. But "greater Indonesia" had, in fact, been first created by the Dutch colonialists. An independent Indonesia had inheritted these territories from colonial times. These areas are resource rich and over the years the Indonesian political elite, with GOLKAR as the political force and the Armed Forces as the military back up, have appropriated, controlled and exploited these resources. The government did not bring economic development or benefits to the people of these regions nor did it fulfill their calls for autonomy let alone independence. And while the Australian Government talks about the Indonesian political and economic elite having to save face, the elite themselves are talking about how to maintain and strengthen their control of the wealth. Why then has the US not stepped in with all its talk of human rights and freedom? Why would they help? The US and other major capitalist powers refused to act because they do not consider East Timor to be strategically and economically important. The Governments of Australia and the US supported the bloody seizure of power by Suharto in 1965 and gave the Suharto dictatorship endless political, economic and military support in the decades that followed. Indonesia was built up as a major anti-communist ally in the Asian region. Both governments connived at Indonesia's invasion and take-over of East Timor in 1975. Only now are many Australians becoming aware of the immense financial, political and military support that Australian Governments have given to the Indonesian military in the past three decades. Back in 1975 the Australian Government's words and actions made it clear we would not assist the East Timorese should Indonesia invade, especially as Indonesia had gained US support. There is little difference in the situation today and very recently the Australian Government made it clear to Indonesia (through PM Howard's speech to Habibie in April) that Australia was not supporting independence for East Timor. Blood is also on the hands of successive Australian Governments which for more than three decades connived at the suppression of the rights of the Indonesian people and then recognised Suharto's annexation of East Timor. They have repeatedly betrayed the East Timorese people who staunchly assisted Australia's military forces during the war against Japan. The East Timorese people are indeed a people betrayed by Australian governments. But the Australian people by their mass solidarity actions are helping to retrieve Australia's honour in just the same way that they helped the Indonesian people win their independence from the Dutch colonialists following WW II. ***************************************************************** Guardian Editorial: Collaborators in genocide The Indonesian Government and the military high command which controls it must be forced by continued pressure from the international community to withdraw their forces from East Timor now. Those responsible for the carnage and mass murder must be made to face charges of crimes against humanity. The governments of the major powers and the Government of Australia already stand condemned in the eyes of the world for their appeasement of the military dictatorship over many years and their silence about the slaughter of the East Timorese. It was clear long before the vote on independence that unless the Indonesian military was made to withdraw and the militias, which are an extension of the military, were disarmed and disbanded, there would be a ruthless vendetta of bloodletting. The UN made no preparations to prevent the intended massacre while the Howard Government played the role of apologist, spruiking diplomatic rhetoric, which defended Indonesia's invasion and occupation of East Timor. Prime Minister Howard summed up this position with his statement that sending in any forces to East Timor "would be like invading Indonesia". With each passing moment that the Government stalls and the UN procrastinates, more lives are being lost in the reign of terror, with East Timorese citizens being shipped out to who knows where. As such the Australian Government is collaborating in an act of genocide. Any government genuinely concerned with human rights and democracy would also be supportive of the trade union movement's solidarity in applying bans on trade and tourism to Indonesia. Instead Workplace Relations Minister Reith is taking the opportunity to encourage employers to use his anti-union laws to stop the solidarity actions. And while the appeasement continues, the Indonesian military has set about systematically destroying East Timor's infrastructure, wiping out its hospitals, its water and electricity supplies, its transport and communications, driving the people out and burning their homes in what may well be preparations for the partitioning the country. It is the intention of Indonesia to leave behind an economic disaster, a country divided: one part containing the rich mineral and land investments of the Indonesian power elite, including the Suharto dynasty; the other part in ruins. Economic and political sanctions must be implemented against Indonesia. All military ties must be cut. The issuing of visas to Indonesian nationalists should cease along with a campaign to discourage Australians from using Indonesia as a tourist destination. Indonesia's ruling class must be made to feel the pressure of international condemnation. World-wide pressure is increasingly coming from the ground up. During Indonesia's years of occupation of East Timor public awareness and solidarity have grown considerably in Australia. At the first protest in Sydney in 1975 there were 200 people. Last weekend in Sydney there were 20,000 protesters. Around the country the wave of protest has grown as the trade unions, community organisations and churches give voice to their outrage. The Suharto dictatorship came to an end in May of last year following mass actions by Indonesian workers, peasants, students, professionals and intellectuals: all those who have had to bear the brunt of oppression, economic hardship and the crushing of democratic rights. While the government with President Habibe at its head has been forced by the actions of the Indonesian people to make concessions the Western powers with the USA in the forefront, did nothing to force Indonesia to end its illegal occupation of East Timor. Their inaction and appeasement exposes the big lie of their flowery rhetoric about democracy and freedom. It was the Indonesian people who swept Suharto away. It is the courageous East Timorese that will finally end Indonesia's occupation of their country. As a speaker at the Sydney rally said, "The home of the brave? I know where that is. It's 600 kilometres from the Western Australian coast. It's a country called East Timor." ***************************************************************** Huge support for East Timor Without the tremendous solidarity for East Timor by ordinary people all over the world, governments would still be sitting on their hands and saying "it's up to Indonesia". Pressure must continue to ensure that the UN peace-keepers are sent immediately and that they act to stop the bloodshed and suffering of the East Timorese people. That world governments awaited Indonesia's permission before going to the aid of the East Timorese is a warning that Indonesia could still hinder the effectiveness of the UN force or that the governments "friendly" to Indonesia, which are supplying the peace-keeping forces, will continue to connive and collude with the Indonesian government to achieve its aims. The objective of the UN force should be nothing short of booting the Indonesian military out of East Timor immediately. While Australian trade unions have welcomed the backdown by Indonesia and responded by suspending their bans on Garuda Airlines all other bans will remain in place "until it becomes clear that peace and security has been restored for the people of East Timor", said ACTU President Jennie George. Victorian Trades Hall Council Secretary Leigh Hubbard said, "Until there are actual peace-keepers in place, the union movement and community organisations will not be relaxing the campaign against the Indonesian government". The groundswell of huge public demonstrations that have taken place across Australia shows that the Australian people are angry and want action. No issue in recent times has captured the attention of so many Australians from all walks of life. Everyone is talking about it and the mainstream media cannot ignore it. Tens of thousands have attended rallies and hundreds have attended pickets, candle-light vigils, hunger strikes and prayer services. Numerous rallies have been organised every day of the past week by unions, students, churches and community groups. Everyone was eager to protest and as well as attending the major rallies, they organised their own. Sydney The major rally in Sydney last Saturday was an awe-inspiring show of solidarity and the strength of the people when they are united in a common purpose. About 20,000 people crowded into Hyde Park. The rally overflowed the square around the Archibald Fountain. Many had to climb trees to get a view. The loud and clear PA system meant that speeches could be heard clearly from two city blocks away. People from all directions continued to pour into the rally. The crowd listened intently, and quietly (except when applauding or chanting) which created an atmosphere of gravity, solemnity and determination. The crowd cheered in support when told of union bans on Garuda Airlines and shipping to Indonesia. Melbourne A huge rally of about 30-40,000 people was held in Melbourne on Friday calling for an end to the bloodshed in East Timor and the implementation in practice of the independence so overwhelmingly supported in the recent East Timorese referendum. Commencing at the GPO with a series of speeches, by trade unionists, church, Timorese, political and community activists, the enormous crowd cheered, chanted and applauded as speaker after speaker added their weight to the calls for <MI>immediate" UN intervention and sanctions against the Indonesian authorities. An enthusiastically received message of encouragement from Xanana Gusmao was played to the thousands in attendance. This interview was taped on Thursday night, just after reports of the murder of Xanana's father by the military butchers had been received and was delivered emotionally to an emotion-charged audience. Details of actions by trade unions were welcomed with huge applause. Messages of support for the actions taken by Australian unionists were received from Indonesia, Japan and the United States and read to the rally. Resolutions were carried by acclamation calling on the Howard Government to condemn official Indonesian involvement in the slaughter, demanding immediate armed UN intervention and an end to any and all military cooperation between Australia and Indonesia. Spokespersons for the East Timorese community expressed their heart-felt thanks for the overwhelming messages of support and solidarity in their hours of sorrow and grief and called for an escalation of demands and actions from all sectors of the community. A further rally in Melbourne will be held at 2pm on Sunday, September 19, outside Parliament House. Perth and Adelaide Over two thousand rallied in Central Park, Perth, on Friday and on Saturday over three thousand marched through Perth streets chanting "Indonesia out!". Similar solidarity demonstrations took place in Adelaide. High school students staged a "walk out" in Sydney on Friday and held a large and vocal rally at Town Hall Square which was later joined by university students. "People talk about giving East Timor to the East Timorese. It's not their's to give. It doesn't belong to Indonesia. It belongs to the East Timorese; it's their right", said Polly Steward of Gosford High school, one of the many young speakers from the floor at Friday's rally. Australia has a moral obligation to ensure the East Timorese finally achieve their aspirations for freedom. Australia's collusion with Indonesia in the past, its benefiting from Indonesia's occupation by the Timor Gap oil treaty with Indonesia, its arming and training of Indonesian military means that Australia shares responsibility with Indonesia for the past 24 years of murder, torture and terrorism of the East Timorese. -- Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.alexia.net.au/~www/mhutton/index.html Sponsored by Melbourne's New International Bookshop Subscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=subscribe%20leftlink Unsubscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20leftlink
