Indonesian democracy activist speaks

Issue 

By Tim E Stewart

DARWIN — A screening on March 27 of the new documentary There is Only One Word — Resist! ended a week-long visit by Nico Warouw, international representative of the People's Democratic Party (PRD). The film, shown at the NT University Auditorium, attracted 75 people and raised hundreds of dollars for the defence of PRD activists currently on trial for subversion in Indonesia.

Earlier in the week, Warouw addressed the NT Trades and Labour Council where he stressed that the struggle for workers' rights in Indonesia must also include political demands, such as the right to form trade unions and political parties independent of government control. He also met with rank and file union activists from the public sector, construction, mining, maritime and metalworkers' unions.

The call for an a boycott of the Indonesian general elections in May was the subject of Warouw's lecture to students and staff at the university's faculty of south-east studies. He also spoke about press censorship to an Indonesian language class.

Inspired by Warouw's tour, East Timor solidarity activists called a picket at the Indonesian consulate on March 27 to protest the murder of Timorese youth by Indonesian soldiers on March 23. Warouw delivered a letter to the consulate which condemned the murders and the unwillingness of the Indonesian government to settle the East Timor problem peacefully, and called on Suharto to end Indonesian occupation of East Timor and release all political prisoners in Indonesia and East Timor.

At the other end of Australia, Carol Mitchell from Action in Solidarity with Indonesia and East Timor reports that more than 70 people attended the Hobart premiere of There is Only One Word — Resist! at Cinema Afterdark on March 26. Introducing the film, director Jill Hickson paid tribute to the PRD activists who, at great personal risk, shot much of the footage.

The screening was followed by a lively discussion and a showing of John Pilger's film about East Timor, Death of a Nation. More than $300 was collected in donations for the campaign to free the political prisoners in Indonesia.

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