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Subject: NEWS - Indonesian Unionists Back East Timor Freedom Struggle

Indonesian Unionists Back East Timor Freedom Struggle
Date:	9/22/99 1:29:42 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Title: Indonesian Unionists Back East Timor Freedom Struggle
Date: 19-SEP-1999
Author: National Front for Indonesian Labour Struggle: Dita Indah Sari,
Ilham Syah
Source: <struggs@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx, DAMN's labor topic specialist
Style: Statement
Reference: www.peg.apc.org/~asiet

The following statement was sent to ACTION IN SOLIDARITY WITH INDONESIA
AND EAST TIMOR - ASIET

The ballot, offered as a way to resolve the 24-year old crisis in East
Timor has been completed.  The results show that the Timorese people
reject the special autonomy offered by the Indonesian government and
have chosen to be a free nation.

The Timorese struggle to be a free nation have gone on for many
centuries against Portuguese colonialism and then against the
militaristic Indonesian government.  They have paid a high price, both
physically and materially to wage that struggle.  The Indonesian
military invasion since 1975 has cost more than 200,000 lives and led to
many human rights abuses including beatings and rapes.  The
international community's response to the military
acts of Indonesia depended on the Cold War interests of each country at
the time.

After the ballot was completed and  a series massacres of
pro-independence forces, UN staff and journalists by pro-integration
militia members (supported by Indonesian military and police) commenced,
the international
community has again taken a position on the issue of East Timor.  In
this case, the international community has condemned the Indonesian
government who are thought of as no longer able to provide security  in
the territory.

Condemnation and international pressure has come from Australia from its
government and through the call for bans on Indonesian products by
Australian trade unions.  In one instance, there was even the incident
of flag burning at a demonstration outside an Indonesian consulate.  The
response to this by several forces was to retaliate and burn the
Australian flag and to invade the Australian Embassy in Indonesia.

These actions show the low level of understanding of the history of the
struggle in East Timor and the shifting of the conflict from the
massacres carried out in East Timor to a conflict between two countries.
In responding
to the situation that has arisen since the ballot in East Timor, the
National Front for Indonesian Labour Struggle (FNBPI) hereby express:

* Our full support for the results of the ballot in East Timor, as a
reflection of the aspirations of the East Timorese to determine their
own fate

* Our condemnation of the anti democratic acts committed by the
pro-autonomy  forces of TNI and POLRI (Indonesian police)

* Our condemnation of all acts of murder and destruction by TNI and
POLRI committed against the innocent civilians of East Timor

* Our condemnation of all acts of violence by TNI and POLRI which have
driven out the Timorese from their own country

The FNPBI therefore demand:

* Immediate withdrawal of TNI and POLRI from East Timor

* Disbanding of militias which are supported and armed by TNI and POLRI

* Formation and entry of international peacekeeping forces into East
Timor

* That all forces to respect the results of the ballot which is a
reflection
 of the aspirations of the Timorese

* End to all support given by the Indonesian government to the militias

* End to the sending of Indonesian security forces to East Timor

We declare our full support for all the solidarity actions and strikes
conducted by trade unions worldwide.

We call on the international community, especially the workers to
maintain pressure on the Indonesian government through
strikes/industrial action, economic sanctions and other forms of
pressure.

Jakarta 11 September 1999

National Front for Indonesian Labour Struggle
Dita Indah Sari, Chairperson
Ilham Syah, General Secretary


For more information, contact:

Action In Solidarity with Indonesia and East Timor (ASIET)
www.peg.apc.org/~asiet

Australia Asia Worker Links
PO Box 264 Fitzroy Victoria 3065 Australia
Phone:: 03 9419 5045   Fax: 03 9416 2746
E-mail: aawl@xxxxxxxxxxxxx