Affiliated to 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 Torrens House
220 Victoria Square
ADELAIDE
SOUTH AUSTRALIA 5000
ATTENTION: CHIEF OF STAFF
MEDIA STATEMENT: 13 JUNE 1999
SOLIDARITY MOVEMENT REPEATS CALL FOR LARGER UN PEACE MAKING MISSION IN EAST TIMOR
The Campaign for an East Timor (South Australia) has reiterated calls for a more adequate UN peace making mission in East Timor. Following is a statement released by the Campaign's Information Officer, Andrew Alcock, in response to latest concerns expressed by UN officials about maintaining security:
"For years, human rights and solidarity groups have called for a number of strategies to stop the slaughter in East Timor caused by the Indonesian dictatorship. One of the major proposals has been to install an effective UN peace making mission.
Well, the UN has finally installed a team to supervise a plebiscite on East Timor's political future. The problem is that the mission is not large enough to deal effectively with the several thousand pro Indonesian militias and the occupying Indonesian army which is about 20,000 in number.
The army has been responsible for the genocide that has occurred in Timor over the past 24 years resulting in the loss of a third of the population. Now, we are witnessing the criminal actions of the militias that the army has created. They have been responsible for the terror and murder since late 1998.
Earlier this month, the Catholic Church reported that militias in the Suai region were bragging that they had murdered 400 - 500 pro independence supporters and dumped their bodies in crocodile infested lakes.
Then we heard the announcement by the Indonesian commander in East Timor, Colonel Tono Suratnam, that he intends to put militia chief Eurico Guterres in charge of security around Dili during the August referendum. This shows that Indonesia is not serious about stopping the killing nor does it care about international concerns for security in East Timor.
Even Australian Foreign Minister, Alexander Downer, hitherto loathe to criticise Indonesia, has recently condemned its failure to halt the bloodshed in Timor.
A rally organised by the trade union movement, solidarity groups, the SA Council of Churches, Amnesty, Young Christian Workers and other community organisations outside Mr Downer's Adelaide office. Major demands called for by those participating were:
an adequate UN peace making force for East Timor to control the Indonesian military and militias and to remain until after the referendum and the withdrawal of Indonesian forces
pressure to be put on Indonesia to disarm and disband the militias and to withdraw from East Timor
cessation of all military cooperation with Indonesia and sanctions against it unless it cooperates
About 50 people attended the rally which was chaired by Chris White, Secretary of the United Trades and Labour Council of SA. The rally was a follow-up activity to the ACTU's Day of Solidarity with East Timor on 27 May."
When asked about the application of Gareth Evans, former Australian foreign minister, for the director-general position of UNESCO (UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, Mr Alcock responded:
"All Australians who value human rights will not want Gareth Evans to represent them in this prestigious UN post. The objective of this organisation is to promote peace and security through education, science and communication.
Sadly, Gareth Evans used much of his energies during his time in government to promote the criminal Indonesian dictatorship. He frequently sought to apologise for the regime after its worst human rights abuses were revealed. Many will never forget that his comment after the 1991 Santa Cruz (Dili)
Massacre in which about 270 people were machine gunned to death was that it was just an "aberration".
Mr Evans also negotiated the Timor Gap Treaty with Indonesia. This agreement sought to deny East Timorese access to their oil resources.
He frequently attacked those who supported human rights in East Timor as unrealistic because they did not understand Indonesian culture or 'real politik'. Many Indonesian democracy and human rights activists were outraged at the suggestion that their culture included human rights violations. Thankfully, his elitist concept of 'real politik' as related to the Indonesian regime does not look as though it will survive.
The fact is that most Australians believe in justice and fair play and are outraged by politicians who use their positions to promote injustice and apologise for gross violations against human rights. They would prefer to see a candidate who gives human rights and justice high priority and has a track record of promoting these values."
Andrew (Andy) Alcock Information Officer Campaign for an Independent East Timor (South Australia) Inc
Phone: 08 83710480 (home) 08 82053259 (work) Pager: 08 84157467 Facsimile: 08 82236509 Email: andyalcock at bigpond.com
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