Indonesia, East Timor tour off to great start
By Nick Fredman
LISMORE — The national tour by Indonesian activist Edwin Gozal, of the People's Democratic Party, and East Timorese activist Naldo Rai got off to a great start here on August 26 with a public meeting and dinner attended by 130 people.
The tour, organised by Action in Solidarity with Indonesia and East Timor and the socialist youth organisation Resistance, aims to build solidarity with the struggle for democracy in Indonesia and self-determination for East Timor.
Particular emphases are the campaigns to free political prisoners in Indonesia and to win asylum for East Timorese refugees in Australia.
The activists were welcomed to Bundgalung country by elders Agnes Roberts and Ron Heron, who denounced the racist attacks of the Howard government on Aboriginal people and expressed solidarity with all those fighting oppression.
Gozal noted that the Coalition government is racist not just towards Aboriginal people and migrants, but also in its claim that democracy and human rights are "western" values, excusing the authoritarianism of its Asian allies and ignoring the struggle of Asian people for their rights.
Gozal outlined the political situation in Indonesia following the May 29 fake elections and the continuing possibilities of mobilising opposition to the regime.
Rai described the history of the struggle for self-determination in East Timor and the growing links between the East Timorese resistance and the democracy movement in Indonesia.
The meeting was entertained with songs of struggle by local Indonesian activist and artist Yos Suprato, who was joined for several songs by Rai.
Discussion centred on continuing the campaign. Future events include an action in September highlighting the role of Nike in exploiting workers in Indonesia, a commemoration of the Dili massacre on November 12 and an action at Cunungra army base, near Brisbane, on December 6-7, to highlight Australia's training of Indonesian troops.
The Lismore leg of the tour was organised by Resistance and Lismore Friends of East Timor.