By Jon Land
Labor foreign affairs spokesperson Laurie Brereton recently announced a proposed new policy on East Timor that asserts the right of the territory to an "act of self-determination".
According to a report in the October 18-19 Australian, the policy will state, "Labor will lend every encouragement to efforts to peacefully resolve the East Timor conflict. It is Labor's considered view that no lasting solution to the conflict in East Timor is likely in the absence of the process of negotiation through which the people of East Timor can exercise their right to self-determination."
This marks an about-face from the party's current position. In 1984 it dropped all references to the Timorese people's right of self-determination. The draft policy, which has been approved by the ALP's national security and trade policy committee, will be taken to the party's national conference in January for approval.
The last time Labor adopted a position in support of East Timor's right to self-determination was at its 1982 national conference, when the Fraser Coalition government was in power. (Labor had also supported self-determination at national conferences in 1977 and 1979.)
Then, many members and supporters were disillusioned by former PM Gough Whitlam's sell-out on East Timor. The East Timor solidarity movement was also active in lobbying Labor to take a position that reflected the concerns of the community. Labor sought to tap this concern and win back some of its base in the social movements.
Bill Hayden, Labor leader in opposition prior to Bob Hawke, was particularly critical of the Fraser government's relations with Indonesia. In February 1981 he stated, "Our servility towards Indonesia seems to know no bounds, despite that country's appalling record in Timor and the intimidation and political harassment of those who fail to support President Suharto".
After Labor won office in March 1983, it began to water down any criticism of Indonesia.
Hawke's first visit overseas as PM was to Indonesia, in June 1983. He was full of praise for the Suharto dictatorship and the "advances" it had made. This stance was driven by economic interests: a priority for Labor was to ensure continuation of negotiations to secure access to the oil reserves in the Timor Sea for Australian-based mining companies.
At Labor's 1984 national conference, policy on East Timor was hotly debated. Many delegates were outraged by the final motion adopted, which dropped any reference to the right of self-determination. (At least one delegate burnt his membership card on the conference floor in protest.)
In August 1985 Hawke, on behalf of the Labor government, reaffirmed Australia's legal recognition of Indonesia's annexation of East Timor
"If the forthcoming ALP national conference adopts a policy of supporting self-determination, the cause of East Timorese freedom would be helped", Max Lane, Democratic Socialist spokesperson on foreign affairs, told Green Left Weekly.
"However, if Labor is serious about supporting the people of East Timor, it should also reverse its recognition of Indonesia's annexation. Labor should also explicitly call for the direct participation of East Timorese leaders, such as Xanana Gusmao, in any negotiations.
"Most importantly Labor should support the call by all East Timorese political and community groups in Australia to issue special humanitarian visas to the more than 1300 East Timorese refugees seeking to stay here."
Lane also called attention to Australian military aid. "Will Labor call for an end to the training and joint exercises that Australia conducts with the Indonesian military? Unless the party changes its positions on these fundamental interrelated issues, it would not be accurate to say it had changed its position on East Timor."