Activists speak out for East Timor

Issue 

SYDNEY — On November 14, a demonstration was held here to remember the East Timorese killed in the Dili massacre of 1991. RYAN LIDDELL spoke to a few of the demonstrators about why they attended.

LANCE GOWLAND: East Timor is the closest nation to Australia and I think that the role of the Australian government in the whole affair is absolutely disgraceful. I'm ashamed of it.

I've been very emotional concerning East Timor since the invasion occurred.

JANET PARKER: Indonesia claims that East Timor can't possibly survive independently, yet Indonesia is in no shape to administer other countries. Given that the vast majority of East Timorese are self-sufficient farmers, they would be better off and be able to operate more effectively if they were independent.

They should be allowed to determine their own politics, their own government and their own decision making.

JON MIGUEL: I was born in East Timor and have been in Australia since 1978. I consider myself a Timorese Australian. We're pretty much fed up because successive Australian governments have turned a blind eye to East Timor.

We look elsewhere to the people of West Papua, Bougainville, Fiji and New Zealand who are supportive of East Timor's right to self-determination, which I doubt the Australian government ever will be.

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