Call to 'ground Garuda'

Call to 'ground Garuda'

By Chris Spindler

ADELAIDE — On August 6 the Campaign for an Independent East Timor (CIET) held a protest vigil outside Garuda airlines highlighting the gross human rights violations of the Indonesian government.

The demands raised by the protest were to free East Timorese independence leader Xanana Gusmao, end the Indonesian military's occupation of East Timor and West Papua, and "Ground Garuda".

Garuda was chosen as the focus for the protest as it is the national airline of the Indonesian government. The protest highlighted the killing of about one million Indonesians when President Suharto came to power in 1965 and the annihilation of 200,000 East Timorese since its invasion by Indonesia in 1975.

The role of Australian governments also came in for some close scrutiny. Since the invasion of East Timor Australian governments have been totally supportive of the Indonesian regime. Supplying military hardware, training for military personnel as well as diplomatic support. While essentially ignoring calls to support the independence of East Timor a move which would threaten Australian access to the oil in the Timor Sea.

Protest vigils will be held outside Garuda's Adelaide office, Waymouth St, Adelaide, on the first Friday of every month, 12-3pm, for the remainder of 1993.

From GLW issue 110