Brisbane speakers demand freedom for East Timor

By Neil Eveleigh BRISBANE — ASIET (Action in Solidarity with Indonesia and East Timor) hosted a forum at the Resistance Centre on February 29 on "East Timor and Australian foreign policy". The forum included speakers from the Australian Democrats, Democratic Socialists, Australian Greens and Community Aid Abroad. ASIET spokesperson Nick Everett highlighted the role of successive Australian governments in aiding the Indonesian regime's campaign of terror against the East Timorese people. Australian Democrat Brisbane candidate and state president Andrew Bartlett gave an account from journalist Dan Peterson, who recently visited East Timor, and described efforts by the Democrats to provide a voice for East Timor's struggle within the parliament. Democratic Socialist candidate Zanny Begg described the importance of using an election campaign to aid solidarity. Begg stated that support for self-determination is fundamental to a just foreign policy, which she described as "putting people before profits". Australian Greens spokesperson Lou Gugenberger outlined the Greens' policy on East Timor, which calls for an "urgent referendum to decide East Timorese independence from Indonesia". All three speakers pledged the support of their parties for a National Day of Solidarity with East Timor, planned for August 25, which calls for the reversal of the Australian government de jure recognition of Indonesia's annexation of East Timor.

From GLW issue 223