By Nikki Ulasowski
WOLLONGONG — Nico Warouw, Indonesian pro-democracy activist and international officer for the People's Democratic Party (PRD), visited the Illawarra district on August 13 and 14 as a part of a speaking tour of NSW organised by the National Union of Students and Resistance.
Warouw addressed public meetings at the Illawarra Migrant Resource Centre and Wollongong University, telling the audience about the situation in Indonesia and East Timor, as well as the history of both struggles.
Warouw stated that, despite a lot of media hype and government scapegoating, the PRD was not responsible for the riots of July 27. He said that the unrest was a spontaneous uprising of people angry about the military dictatorship's attack on the headquarters of opposition leader Megawati Sukarnoputri and her party, the PDI.
Warouw urged everyone to support the campaign to free Dita Sari, Budiman Sudjatmiko and other political prisoners.