Craig Johnston and East Timor's liberation struggle

Vannessa Hearman, Melbourne

I was actively involved in the campaign for East Timor's independence throughout 1999 as a member of Action in Solidarity with Indonesia and East Timor.

We were fortunate that at the time, Craig Johnston held the position of secretary of the metals division of the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union (AMWU) in Victoria. Craig facilitated a series of workplace meetings where a Timorese activist addressed workers to tell them about what was going on in East Timor. Through these meetings, links were forged and the workers understood that a human rights crisis was looming in East Timor.

From mid-1999, the Timorese people had already begun to be driven from their land and their homes as a result of attacks by the Indonesian-backed militias. Thousands of dollars were chucked in by workers on construction sites to help the internally displaced people.

In September 1999, the killings and destruction intensified in East Timor. The actions of workers here were important in heightening the pressure on the Australian government to send in peacekeepers. Workers voted to place union bans on Garuda Indonesian Airways cargo, on freight going to Indonesia and even on rubbish collection from the Indonesian embassy and consulates.

At Melbourne Airport, construction workers from the Airport Alliance, which included the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union and the AMWU, held sit-ins at the Garuda check-in counter. The leadership provided by Craig Johnston played an important role in galvanising worker support at a decisive moment for the Timorese struggle.

From Green Left Weekly, November 17, 2004.

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From GLW issue 606