From: rich@pencil.cs.missouri.edu (Rich Winkel)
Newsgroups: misc.activism.progressive
Subject: Timor: Open Letter to Australian PM Keating
Date: 16 Apr 92 22:17:21 GMT
Followup-To: alt.activism.d
Organization: PACH
Originator: rich@pencil.cs.missouri.edu

/** reg.easttimor: 346.0 **/
** Topic: INFIGHT Open Letter to PM Keating **
** Written  9:18 pm  Apr 14, 1992 by gn:tapol in cdp:reg.easttimor **
Infight's Open Letter to Keating
 
Original document, abridged. Original language: English.
 
ON 14 APRIL 1992, INFIGHT, THE INDONESIAN FRONT FOR THE DEFENCE OF
HUMAN RIGHTS, SENT AN OPEN LETTER TO AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER,
PAUL KEATING, ON THE OCCASION OF HIS VISIT TO INDONESIA
 
The Open Letter is signed by T. Ganda, Coordinator.
 
 
This marks the first visit by an Australian Prime Minister to
Indonesia since Bob Hawke's visit in 1983. The Prime Minister has
stated that his visit is aimed to strengthen ties with Indonesia.
Considering Australia's role in Cambodia, Infight is convinced that
Australia will want to prove its commitment to peace in the region
by playing a similarly positive role in the resolution of conflicts
within Indonesia.
 
[After itemising a long list of massacres since 1966 and stating
that many Indonesians and East Timorese remain in detention for
their political beliefs and pointing to other human rights abuses,
the letter continues:]
 
Despite hefty sums of aid, 80 percent of Indonesians still live
below the poverty line, 89.23 per cent have no access to safe
drinking waters, 80 per cent of the labour force consist of people
who never go to school and the infant mortality rate is as high as
89/1000, highlighting gross economic mismanagement, while
corruption is rife at all levels of the bureaucracy and most
notably at the highest levels of government.
 
Considering the above, INFIGHT calls on the Australia government,
 
1.   To halt all military aid to and cooperation with Indonesia, in
particular the supply of military equipment, joint defence
exercises and the training of Indonesian officers in Indonesian
defence colleges. Australia has claimed its foreign policy is based
on realpolitic and pragmatism. Nevertheless, considering the broad
opposition within Indonesia towards the military regime and the
current international climate which is proving unfavourable to the
continued survival of authoritarian and totalitarian governments,
Australian government policies which support the present government
could be interpreted as unwise opportunism. Considering that the
Indonesian government does not reflect the will of the people, it
would be much more realistic and pragmatic of the Australian
government to pursue policies which ensure the realisation of human
rights within Indonesia, in particular and of peace in the region
as a whole.
 
2.   Take advantage of the demise of IGGI, of which Australia is a
member, to make its economic aid to and cooperative projects with
Indonesia contingent on the fulfilment of certain conditions, in
particular the release of all political prisoners, the realisation
of freedom of the press and of association, and of the clear
delineation between executive, judicial and legislative bodies.
Only then can the Australian government be sure that its aid is not
being directed towards development projects which only disadvantage
the poorest sectors of society. In the current international
climate which favours the realisation of human rights through
international solidarity, Australia's decision not to link human
rights with its economic cooperation with Indonesia, rather than
reflect an 'independent and robust' role, only works to undermine
the image of regional responsibility it showed in its role in the
resolution of the Cambodian conflict.
 
3.   Withdraw from the Timor Gap Treaty, revoke its recognition of
the Indonesian government's illegal occupation of Timor, and call
on the Indonesian government to withdraw its troops from East
Timor, to allow the people of East Timor to realise their right to
self-determination. In a recent speech to the Asia-Australia
Foundation, Mr Keating said that Australia's attempts to forge new
links with Asia will be based on the guiding principles of
nationhood, democracy, fairness and personal liberty. But what is
the meaning in democracy and liberty as Australia's guiding
principles if he does not grant the East Timorese the same right?
The Prime Minister's noble speeches will remain hollow as long as
Australia remains a party to the Timor Gap Treaty that has prompted
its recognition of Indonesia's illegal occupation of the territory,
an occupation which has witnessed the violation of Mr Keating's
noble principles of nationhood, democracy and personal liberty.
 
** End of text from cdp:reg.easttimor **
Newsgroups: misc.activism.progressive