Fwd: Statement on Deteriorating situation in East Timor - Blade Nzimande, SACP General Secretary
This message is from: Richard Pond <rjpond at btinternet.com>
>SACP Head Office
>6th September 1999
>
>STATEMENT ON THE DETERIORATING SITUATION IN EAST TIMOR
>
>The deteriorating situation in East Timor demands immediate attention from
>all concerned with democracy, human rights and human dignity. According to
>reports being received from inside East Timor, the “pro-Indonesia” militia
>has stepped-up its indiscriminate attacks on anyone and anything considered
>to be “pro-independence”. The house of Nobel Laureate and human rights
>campaigner, Bishop Carlos Belo is reported to have been set alight by these
>forces. It would also appear as though these militia forces have now been
>joined, openly, by the Indonesian military in a joint display of
intolerance
>and barbarity. Hundreds have been killed, thousands are being forced from
>their homes and attacks have been launched on both Red Cross and United
>Nations compounds where many have sought refuge. The SACP condemns these
>outrageous actions in the strongest terms.
>
>It is simply unacceptable that the United Nations has not mobilised an
>international peacekeeping force to stop the killing and destruction. It
>would seem as though the lives of East Timorese are less valuable than
those
>of other victims of atrocities, where the UN has had no hesitation in
>securing international intervention.
>
>The South African Communist Party calls upon the United Nations to
>immediately dispatch an international peacekeeping force to halt the
>escalating social and human disaster and to force the Indonesian regime to
>respect the democratic will of the people of East Timor. We also call upon
>all progressive forces in South Africa and across the world to do all in
>their capacities to pressurise the United Nations and their respective
>governments to act now and lend all available support to save the people of
>East Timor.
>
>Blade Nzimande
>SACP General Secretary
>***************************************************************************
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>***************************************
>
>SACP Dept. of Information & Publicity
><sacp1 at wn.apc.org>
>South African Communist Party
>Head Office
>COSATU House
>No. 1 Leyds Street - 7th Floor
>Braamfontein 2001
>Republic of South Africa
>(Tel: 27 11 339-3621/2)
>(Fax: 27 11 339-4244)