Green Left Weekly journalist Sam King addressed the rally, having arrived from Dili that afternoon. He told the crowd, "Many Timorese in the last few days have asked, •Why did you help us have the referendum if you weren't willing to defend us against the Indonesian military? We told you the Indonesian government would do this if we voted for independence. 935 Los Angeles is worldwide Portuguese in France, left political parties, several trade union federations, the Peasant Confederation and other international solidarity committees.
Several hundred people also demonstrated in Amsterdam, Holland.
In Brussels, Belgium, the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICTU) and the Belgian trade union centre FGTB organised a demonstration outside the Indonesian embassy on September 7. Dozens of trade union activists, led by FGTB general secretary Mia Devits, responded to the call.
The ICFTU called on its affiliates in 144 countries to take part in an international trade union campaign to pressure Indonesia to put an end to the killings and to respect the results of the August 30 referendum.
All parts of Australia report massive demonstrations, with good representation of labour and Timorese immigrant groups, and an impressive willingness of high school students to walk out in protest at the massacres. [See main article for more details.]
In Auckland, New Zealand, a range of actions were organised to coincide with the meeting of
APEC ministers. A vigil was maintained outside the APEC meeting venue. On September
11, a march was held to "welcome" Indonesian officials and to condemn the violence in East
Timor. Supporters of East Timor independence gathered in
The rally participants unanimously committed to rally every week and take any other action necessary to make the Australian and other governments send peacekeepers to East Timor and force the Indonesian military to leave. * Source: reports in Green Left Weekly. This issue went to press before the 15 September demonstrations accross Australia. For more information contact ASIET on 9690 1032 (Sydney), 9635 8449 (western Sydney) or the CFMEU East Timor hotline on 9394 9494. Email <[email protected]>. Albert Park as part of a larger gathering protesting the APEC meeting.
In Lahore, Pakistan, the Labour Party Pakistan (LPP) in Lahore organised a demonstration in front of the US consulate at eight hours' notice. It was Pakistan's first demonstration around East Timor. Demonstrators chanted slogans in favour of East Timor's independence and demanding the immediate withdrawal of the Indonesian army from East Timor.
The criminal inaction of the United Nations was denounced by LPP general secretary Farooq Tariq, who condemned the UN role in East Timor and demanded that UN special envoy for East Timor Jamsheed Marker immediately resign.
A delegation went to see US officials and handed over a petition to send to the UN that condemned the UN for leaving the Timorese masses in the hands of the killers.
Tariq called on the international labour movement to take "firm, speedy and effective measures to force Indonesia to withdraw from East Timor and disband the militias"
Over 100 demonstrated in front of the Indonesian embassy in Katunayaka, Sri Lanka. The participants, who included Buddhist monks, delivered a petition calling for an end to the bloodbath in East Timor, the disarming of the pro-Jakarta terror gangs, Indonesian troops/police out now, a UN peacekeeping force to be sent to East Timor and recognition of independence. [GLW/JD] * Source: Compiled from reports in Green Left Weekly.
International Viewpoint #315 October 1999 7