Australian activists held pickets on August 2 to protest against the Indonesian government's eviction of supporters of Megawati Sukarnoputri from the headquarters of her party, the PDI, and to condemn the government's crackdown on pro-democracy activists in the aftermath of weekend rioting.
Nick Everett reports from Brisbane that 30 people assembled in the Queen Street mall for a speak-out organised by Action in Solidarity with Indonesia and East Timor (ASIET).
Lou Gugenberger, from the Queensland Greens, stressed that Indonesia's New Order is moulded by its origins in a bloody coup in which over 1 million Indonesians were killed. Suharto, who led that coup and directed the killings that targeted members of the banned Indonesian Communist Party, will seek to whip up anticommunist hysteria again to suppress Indonesia's growing democracy movement, he said.
A speaker from Catholic Worker spoke of the bravery of four women in Britain who were acquitted of charges for their disarming of Hawk aircraft bombers, due to be sold to Indonesia by British Aerospace. The women were acquitted on the grounds that their actions were intended to prevent a far greater crime: the genocide of East Timorese people at the hands of occupying Indonesian military forces.
Protesters were urged to support Friday afternoon pickets being organised outside the Australian Government Centre and to support the August 25 East Timor national day of solidarity.
On behalf of the Democratic Socialist Party, Karen Fletcher, who travelled to Indonesia recently, spoke of the bravery and determination of jailed trade union activist Dita Sari. Sari, general secretary of PPBI (the Indonesian Centre for Labour Struggles), was arrested during a demonstration of 20,000 factory workers on July 8 and charged under anti-subversion laws. Fletcher urged participants to support ASIET's campaign for Sari's release.
Brisbane ASIET will be holding a public meeting on August 8 at 6.30pm, 29 Terrace Street, New Farm, to discuss support for Indonesia's growing democracy movement. Phone (07) 3254 0565 for more information.
Ben Reid reports that 60 people braved Melbourne's chilly weather to gather at a protest in the Bourke Street Mall. Speakers from the Indonesian and East Timorese solidarity movement described the need to support the Indonesian democratic movement at this time.
An emergency meeting between Indonesian activists, the East Timorese community and the solidarity movement has been called for August 10 at 1pm at Melbourne University. For more information, phone (03) 9417 1347.
In Sydney, Janet Parker reports, more than 40 people attended a picket outside Garuda Airlines called by ASIET.
NSW Fretilin representative Harold Moucho stressed the importance of a successful outcome for the democracy movement in Indonesia as a stepping stone on the path to freedom for East Timor.
Max Lane, national coordinator of ASIET, told the protesters about the Indonesian regime's targeting of People's Democratic Party activists and called on the Indonesian government to release all political prisoners, including Dita Sari, Coen Hussein Ponto, a leader of the National Peasants' Union, and the many other activists who were arrested on July 8 at the factory worker demonstration.
Sydney ASIET will be holding emergency organising meetings to build the campaign in solidarity with the Indonesian democracy movement. For details phone (02) 9690 1977.