ASIET picket
SYDNEY -- ASIET (Action in Solidarity with Indonesia and East Timor) held a picket outside the Defence Department in Pitt St on September 19. The protest against Howard's visit to Indonesia coincided with his recent talks with Suharto and senior Indonesian ministers.
Members of the public, including Defence staff, supported the call for the release of all Indonesian political prisoners, and expressed concern at Howard's neglect of this basic human rights issue. Demands for an end to Australian-Indonesian military ties and for a free East Timor were also raised.
Burma solidarity
SYDNEY -- On September 18, around 100 people demonstrated on the eighth anniversary of the military crackdown in Burma. The demonstration, called by the Anti-SLORC Action Committee, chanted "Free Burma! Boycott Burma!" and "Down with dictatorship! Down with SLORC!" as it marched to state parliament.
The rally was addressed by Jamie Parker (NSW National Union of Students), NSW Greens MLC Ian Cohen and representatives from the All Burma Student Democratic Front, the National League for Democracy and other Burmese organisations. Speakers condemned the Australian government's policy of "constructive engagement" with the Burmese dictatorship, and supported Aung San Suu Kyi's call for trade and arms sanctions against Burma.
Indonesian motion passed
SYDNEY -- A motion condemning the Indonesian government's arrest of trade unionists and democracy activists has been passed unanimously by the CPSU delegates subcommittee of the NSW Bureau of Statistics. The motion also calls on the ACTU and the CPSU to recognise the currently illegal trade unions, SBSI and PPBI.
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