The campaign to free Australian resident academic Lesley McCulloch from detention in Indonesia has been boosted by the National Tertiary Education Industry Union (NTEU).

The union's Tasmanian division donated $1000 to help cover McCulloch's legal costs. The NTEU's national council on October 5-6 voted to match the Tasmanian division's donation. The national council also decided to write to foreign minister Alexander Downer urging Canberra's intervention.

Action in Solidarity with Asia and the Pacific (ASAP) has also donated $100 and the New Zealand-based Indonesia Human Rights Committee has donated NZ$100.

ASAP received a letter from the foreign affairs department in reply to a petition, submitted on September 26, that called for the Australian government's intervention. The letter merely stated that the government is taking “an active interest” and “liaising with the British embassy” which has taken responsibility for British-born McCulloch's case. It ends with the ominous statement: “Ms McCulloch is subject to the laws of Indonesia.”

Donations to Lesley McCulloch's legal fund can be deposited at any branch of the Commonwealth Bank. The account name: Aceh Humanitarian Assistance Fund Account, account number 10096013, BSB 067104, University of Tasmania branch, Churchill Ave, Hobart.

The full text of both the department of foreign affairs letter and the NTEU motion are available on the ASAP web site at <http://www.asia-pacific-action.org>.

From Green Left Weekly, October 23, 2002.
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