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>X-Authentication-Warning: mail.gn.apc.org: Host local2.mpx.com.au >[203.29.192.98] claimed to be mailarray.mpx.com.au >Date: Fri, 01 Oct 1999 19:04:36 +1000 >From: John Percy <[log in to unmask]> >Reply-To: [log in to unmask] >X-Accept-Language: en >MIME-Version: 1.0 >To: [log in to unmask] >Subject: ASIET statement on Indonesian military violence; UN press >conference by > Xanana and Ramos-Horta > >From >Democratic Socialist Party >Australia > >October 1, 1999 > >Dear friends, > >Attached below are two important documents relating to Indonesia and >East Timor: > >1. A statement on Indonesian military violence issued on October 1 by >ASIET, Action in Solidarity with Indonesia and East Timor, with a >request for signatures. > >2. A report of a press conference by Xanana Gusmao and Jose Ramos-Horta >on behalf of CNRT held at the UN headquarters September 30. > >Could you please circulate these as widely as you can, and respond to >the ASIET call.. > >We will continue to email you the most important and urgent information >and statements while the crisis situation in East Timor and Indonesia >continues. If you would like more extensive information emailed to you, >we invite you to subscribe to the Democratic Socialist Party's email >information list, DS_NET. Just send an email message to >[log in to unmask] with the subject SUBSCRIBE-DS_NET. > >Further information is available from the extensive web site of ASIET, >now at: http://www.asiet.org.au. > >The Democratic Socialist Party has also set up an East Timor web site, >available at: http://www.dsp.org.au/etimor > >In solidarity, > >John Percy >national secretary >Democratic Socialist Party >Australia >______________________________________ >Democracy for Indonesia! Military out of politics! > >October 1, 1999 > >The following statement is being circulated by Action in Solidarity with >Indonesia and East Timor (ASIET). Please circulate and sign on and >forward to ASIET. > >We the undersigned salute the student-led pro-democracy forces in >Indonesia who are risking their lives to oppose the new state security >law - "Law for Dealing with a Dangerous Situation’’. > >Already eight people (seven in Jakarta and one in Lampung, South >Sumatra) have died, more than 100 people have been injured, some >severely, at the hands of the military. Many more have been arrested. >One of those killed was People’s Democratic Party (PRD) member Yusuf >Rizal, 23, a political science student at Bandar Lampung University. The >chief of the military in Lampung has blamed the PRD for the violence. > >The proposed law allows the president to declare a state of emergency >anywhere in the country and for provincial governors and parliaments to >declare a state of emergency at that level. It gives the military >enormous powers of arrest and detention, as well as total control over >the postal and telecommunications systems during a state of emergency. > >This law would have provided the Habibie government with a mechanism to >repress opposition during October and November sittings of the new >parliament. > >Widespread opposition to the law over recent weeks, led by courageous >student activists from universities across Indonesia, has already scored >an important victory forcing Habibie to postpone signing in the new law. > >The fact that General Wiranto had to push the law through the old >military-dominated parliament (largely hand picked by dictator Suharto) >in the last few hours of its existence on September 23, reveals just how >much the pro-democracy campaign together with the independence campaign >in East Timor have managed to push back the military. > >The Indonesian army has been forced to withdraw from East Timor >following the overwhelming support for independence in the August 30 >ballot and international pressure which forced the United Nations to >intervene to stop the military’s scorched earth policy. > >The PRD, the only party in Indonesia that has consistently supported >freedom for East Timor, has called on activists in other countries to >support the pro-democracy campaign inside Indonesia. We echo this call >and salute the brave students who have, once again, taken the lead in >this important movement for democracy. > >End all military ties with Jakarta! > >Indonesian army out of politics! > >Try the war criminals for the genocide in East Timor, Aceh, West Papua! > >Stop the killing of students struggling for democracy! > >************************ >Action in Solidarity with Indonesia and East Timor (ASIET) >PO Box 458 >Broadway NSW 2007 >Australia >Tel: 61 (0)2 9690 1032 >Fax: 61 (0)2 9690 1381 >[log in to unmask] >http://www.asiet.org.au/ >______________________________________ >UN Press Conference by Xanana and Ramos-Horta CNRT >30/09/99 > >The multinational force in East Timor must rapidly expand to start >building peace and security in the territory, East Timorese leaders >Xanana Gusmao and Jose Ramos Horta told correspondents at a press >conference, sponsored by Portugal, at Headquarters this afternoon. > >Mr. Gusmao said he and Mr. Ramos Horta were at Headquarters to discuss >issues related to the transition period, including rebuilding the >country, and assisting the people during the difficult phase ahead with >United Nations officials. They were also in New York to say East Timor >was prepared to go ahead with the transitional period, and move towards >independence, for which it had fought for the past 24 years. > >Parts of East Timor were now under control of the Armed Forces for the >National Liberation of East Timor (FALINTIL), he said. The international >force in East Timor (INTERFET) had begun to move to Baucau, the second >largest town. Security remained a problem in the western part of the >territory, in areas including Dili itself, Same and Ainaro. The >multinational force must now rapidly increase the number of troops in >East Timor to start building peace and security there. > >Those who had been taken to the concentration camps in West Timor and >islands north of East Timor were living in very poor conditions, he >continued. For humanitarian reasons, the international community should >act quickly to return to East Timor the more than 200,000 persons living >in extreme distress. > >A correspondent asked what kind of commitments had been made by United >Nations officials. Mr. Gusmao responded that the United Nations Mission >in East Timor (UNAMET) remained committed to solving the East Timor >problem and helping the people of East Timor in a concrete manner. That >would include training programmes, building basic infrastructure and an >emergency plan to resettle those who had fled to the jungle and those >who would be brought back from the concentration camps in Indonesia. > >In response to a question about his meeting with Indonesia's Foreign >Minister, Ali Alatas, Mr. Gusmao said it had been beneficial for both >sides. His intention had been to reaffirm to the Indonesian Government >that by working together a new future could be built for the people of >East Timor and the people of Indonesia. East Timor was ready to relieve >Indonesia of the burden it bore and the dangers it faced with the waves >of violence in East Timor. The meeting had been friendly, and the >Indonesian Government had seemed to "welcome our message", he said. >Indonesia had recognized that what had happened in the past few weeks >was shocking and that things should be done differently. > >Had the Indonesian Government made any promises? a correspondent asked. >Mr. Gusmao said it had promised to contribute to the greatest possible >extent to pacifying East Timor and repatriating refugees. It had also >promised to contribute to assessing the territory's immediate needs, >such as sanitation and water supply. > >Asked whether he sensed any repentance or apologies from Mr. Alatas, Mr. >Gusmao said he had, although it had not been stated. The Foreign >Minister had said that everything that had happened was beyond the >control of the Government and that Indonesia had been shocked by the >violence in East Timor. > >What role would women play in the government being formed in East Timor? >a correspondent asked. Mr. Gusmao said that today women held leadership >positions in East Timor and were working hard in a wide range of >activities. "We want to build a society in East Timor which values >democracy, human rights and transparency", he said. The aim was to >promote East Timorese culture and promote gender equity, and women would >play a role in the entire process. > >The same correspondent asked for comment on media perceptions that Mr. >Gusmao had isolated himself from grass-roots and solidarity movements >since his release from prison. "It was not my wish to go to Darwin. I >wanted to go back to East Timor, but I was advised not to go", he said. > >He said he had not expected to be the object of so much attention in New >York, but had to accept it in the interest of the people of East Timor, >of whom he was a representative. In 24 years of fighting, the people of >East Timor had always sensed and gained strength from the international >solidarity movement. > >What role was envisaged for East Timorese leaders during the period of >transition? a correspondent asked. That issue was the subject of ongoing >discussion with United Nations officials. Members of the National >Council of the Timorese Resistance (CNRT) had been dispersed around the >world during the past 24 years. It was only days ago that they had begun >to gather in Darwin to start planning their return and their role in the >transitional period. He expected that there would be some areas over >which the United Nations would take charge, some where obligations would >be shared and others where East Timorese leaders would fully take >charge. The period must be understood as a transition to independence; >East Timorese must participate actively in the process to prepare >themselves for independence. > >When asked what the minimal requirements were for the tripartite meeting >to be considered a success, Mr. Gusmao said there must be agreement on >scheduling Phase III. It was clear that Phase II was no longer >acceptable under the present conditions. Some sort of administration and >political control must be implemented in the territory immediately. East >Timor could not remain in an administrative and political vacuum, >waiting for a decision by Indonesia's People's Consultative Assembly >(MPR), which was a domestic matter only. > >A correspondent then asked about recognition of the claims of companies >and families controlling East Timorese resources. Mr. Gusmao said >legitimate rights would be respected. Before leaving Jakarta, he had >invited Indonesian businesses to invest in East Timor and had already >received expressions of interest. > >Asked for more details about the western part of East Timor, Mr. Gusmao >said that all efforts would be made to "get our brothers back to East >Timor". This morning he had asked Mr. Alatas to help repatriate the >militias. "We will not take revenge on East Timorese", he said. Much of >the violence had been committed by militias from outside East Timor, he >added. > >Asked if the INTERFET deployment would be sufficient, Mr. Gusmao said >7,000 troops were enough, but their deployment must be expedited. > >The Indonesian Government had said it would pass to East Timor its share >in the Timor Gap oil revenues, a correspondent said. Would there be need >for renegotiation? Mr. Gusmao affirmed that East Timor would honour the >terms of the Timor Gap Agreement, and that Indonesia would surrender its >rights to the East Timor authority. > >"Indonesia had spent $1 million per day during the war", a correspondent >asked. How much was needed to rebuild East Timor? he asked. Mr. Gusmao >said the plan was to assess the needs on the ground in October and to >determine the cost of reconstruction and development planning. The real >amounts spent by Indonesia were not known, he added. > >Would Indonesia contribute to the costs for East Timor? the >correspondent further asked. "I don't think so. They have 200 million >people to feed, and it is better for them to take care of their people", >Mr. Gusmao said. Mr. Ramos Horta responded to questions on the talks >held at Headquarters. In the last 48 hours, intense discussions had been >held with the Secretary-General, as well as with senior officials of the >Department of Peacekeeping Operations, Department of Political Affairs, >United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and United Nations >Children's Fund (UNICEF). Tomorrow, they would meet with the head of the >World Bank and representatives of more than 30 countries. In the >discussions, a number of issues had been highlighted. First among those >was the emergency of repatriation. > >They had stressed that every diplomatic effort must be directed at >Jakarta so that the tens of thousands of East Timorese forcibly >relocated to West Timor and islands were relocated to East Timor and >then resettled, he continued. At the same time, they had emphasized the >humanitarian situation in East Timor, particularly the need to feed, >house and care for those who were there now and the returnees. As the >emergency situation was addressed, there was need to build >infrastructure, based on a joint assessment by the World Bank and donor >countries, he went on. The idea was to not duplicate efforts; tomorrow's >meeting in Washington would be directed towards finding common ground >for assessment, with the aim of sending a joint mission. Then, focus >would be on what could be called "a mini- Marshall Plan" for the >territory, which the World Bank would be asked to design in consultation >with East Timor. Another issue being addressed was the need for the >faster deployment of INTERFET, he said. Addressing the humanitarian >situation and rebuilding the country would be possible only under >conditions of peace and security. East Timor appealed to those countries >that had offered contingents to INTERFET to deploy them faster, he >stressed. > >Another issue being discussed with the Secretary-General, the President >of the Security Council, the Foreign Ministers of New Zealand, Don >McKinnon and Australia, Alexander Downer, was the role of CNRT in the >transition period, he continued. The people of East Timor had voted for >independence under the flag of CNRT. The CNRT had earned the right to >participate actively in the transition. In the United Nations in the >1960s and 1970s national liberation movements from countries such as >Namibia (SWAPO) and South Africa (ANC) had gained special status in the >Organization -- the General Assembly had recognized them as the sole >legitimate representatives of the people without their having been >elected in those territories. > >On the basis of the legitimacy that came from the 30 August referendum, >the CNRT expected to be consulted at every level and to participate >actively in the transition period, he emphasized. > >A correspondent asked for Mr. Gusmao's views on criticism of the >Secretary- General's decision to proceed with the referendum despite >warnings of violence. Mr. Gusmao said he fully supported every decision >taken by the Secretary-General. For 23 years, the people of East Timor >had lived in danger and suffered a huge death toll to gain the right to >self-determination. The risk was taken by them, and they were determined >to continue in order to achieve their sacred goal. Now, with media >attention, the world was witnessing the barbarous actions and >questioning the Secretary-General's decision. But for 25 years no one >had known what was happening -- "we were taking the risks on our own". > >"On behalf of the people of East Timor, I express gratitude not only for >the concern showed by the Secretary-General but also for his >commitment", he said. No one had expected the violence to reach that >level. Even Minister Alatas had recognized that the level of violence >was shocking, including to the Indonesian Government. The whole world >did not expect such violence to happen, and that includes Indonesia >itself. >______________________________________ > >Please note that the email address and web site location of the >Democratic Socialist Party of Australia have changed. Could all our >friends please adjust their address lists, and change the links on their >web pages. > >All mail for the DSP should now be sent to: [log in to unmask] >Our web site is now located at: http://www.dsp.org.au/ > >The addresses and web sites of Resistance, Links magazine and Green >Left Weekly have also changed. > >Resistance: >[log in to unmask] >http://www.greenleft.org.au/resistance/ > >Links: >[log in to unmask] >http://www.dsp.org.au/links/ > >Green Left Weekly: >[log in to unmask] >http://www.greenleft.org.au/ > >If you would like to obtain the complete archives of Green Left Weekly >for the past 8 years, from 1991 to 1998, it's all now available on a >CD-ROM, indexed with an ISYS search engine which allows you to instantly >find and access any reference. The cost is only A$100. Bound volumes are >also available. To reserve your CD, email [log in to unmask] We can >handle Bankcard, Mastercard, or Visa. >_____________________________________ > Deborah Knight CSE Business Manager 25 Horsell Road, London N5 1XL Tel: 0171 607 9615 %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%