Campaign for an Independent East Timor (South Australia) Inc.
(Affiliated to the International Federation for East Timor, the East Timor
Relief Association, the Australian Coalition for a Free East Timor and the
Australia East Timor Network)
c/o Development Education Centre first floor 220 Victoria Square
ADELAIDE, SOUTH AUSTRALIA 5000
ATTENTION: CHIEF OF STAFF
MEDIA STATEMENT: FOR IMMEDIATE USE 27 FEBRUARY 2000
THE WORLD SALUTES MAJOR GENERAL PETER COSGROVE
The following statement was released today by the Campaign's Information
Officer, Andrew Alcock, in response to the return of Major General Peter
Cosgrove to Australia and the visit to Australia by UN Secretary General Mr
Kofi Annan:
"This week saw the return to Australia of the INTERFET forces and their
commander major General Peter Cosgrove. Before the force departed East
Timor, Australians saw images of the Major General farewelling a crowd of
East Timorese, hugging their respected leader Xanana Gusmao and leading a
chant of "Viva Xanana!!". Cosgrove and the Australian troops received
praise from the grateful East Timorese leadership.
People in Australia and around the world have praised Cosgrove for the
role he has played in the UN peace enforcing role in East Timor. It is many
years since an Australian soldier has commanded such respect at home and
abroad.
The reason for Cosgrove's popularity is that he managed to bring the right
mix of commonsense, compassion, tough-mindedness, political nous and
military know-how to help bring peace and relative stability to East Timor.
Many Australians believe that it is these abilities that would make him a
very able political leader.
Certainly his leadership of INTERFET in East Timor has given Australians
much to be proud of. His performance has helped to erase much shame over
official Australia's handling of the East Timor question over the past 25
years.
The East Timorese were sold out 25 years ago because Australian political
leaders (Labor, Liberal and National) were more interested in profiting
from the territory's purloined resources and appeasing the Suharto regime
than they were in the human rights of the East Timorese, West Papuans and
Indonesians. A succession of leaders persisted with this immoral and
inhumane policy for over 24 years.
Present Australian political leaders also failed East Timorese in the lead
up to the 1999 referendum. The same arguments for refusing to help East
Timor in 1975 were still considered more important by the present
government when it was obvious to the world and its own security services
that the Indonesian military would coordinate a bloodbath if the East
Timorese chose independence. Foreign Minister Downer told a deputation in
August 1999 that it was irresponsible to call for a UN force to intervene.
The tardiness of the decision to send a peace force meant that thousands
more East Timorese perished and suffered. While all people of goodwill are
grateful that eventually the UN and Australia played an important role in
bringing peace to East Timor, it must be acknowledged that if there had
been more regard given to political integrity and respect for human rights,
that many more lives would have been saved.
As a number of nations are preparing to prematurely re-establish military
ties with the Indonesian military, those suffering oppression and those who
are working for peace and justice are hoping that more of the world's
political leaders will display the great human values of Mahatma Gandhi,
Nelson Mandela, Xanana Gusmao and Peter Cosgrove and put human rights above
commercial interests".
--
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