East Timor national day of solidarity

August 28, 1996
Issue 

Actions in solidarity with East Timor were held around the country over the weekend of August 23-25.

Tim E. Stewart reports from Darwin that with plainclothes and uniformed police outnumbering activists two to one, 18 people marked the national day of solidarity with a picket outside the Timor Gap Joint Authority on August 23. Recently arrived East Timorese refugees, members of Australians for a Free East Timor (AFFET) and the Democratic Socialist Party came together behind the banner "No Australia-Indonesia Oil Deals".

A letter ending with the demands "Australia out of the Timor Gap!" and "Withdraw de jure recognition of Indonesian occupation" was read out by Resistance, followed by an emotional speech from CNRM representative Jose Gusmao.

Federal police had earlier evacuated the Timor Gap offices, shutting down the lift system and occupying the ground floor. NT police then demanded that the letter, originally addressed to the Timor Gap Authority, be delivered to the offices of federal member Nick Dondas instead.

The heavy-handed police response was in part due to escalating tension between AFFET activists and the Indonesian consulate in Darwin. After a demonstration outside a flag-raising ceremony on Indonesian independence day, August 17, consulate staff physically attacked two activists. Police pressure has been put on the two activists charged with trespass not to lay charges for aggravated assault against consulate staff and for sexist abuse received from police.

Alex Bainbridge reports from Newcastle that around 40 people attended a protest in Hunter Street Mall on August 24.

Erme Linda dos Santos, a member of the East Timorese community, described the history of East Timor and the atrocities of the Indonesian government. Other speakers talked about West Papua, and Alex Bainbridge from Resistance gave a history of the Australian government's involvement in East Timor through Whitlam, Fraser, Hawke, Keating, Evans and Downer. Bainbridge called on the rally to help build the October 28 national day of action in support for the Indonesian pro-democracy movement.

In Hamilton, Christians for Peace also held an ecumenical prayer service, attended by 90 people, in solidarity with East Timor at the Sacred Heart Cathedral. The service interspersed scripture readings with first-hand experiences of East Timorese during 26 years of occupation.

Actions in other cities will be reported in next week's Green Left Weekly.

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