On International Peace Keeping Forces and Military Brutality in East Timor
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At last the Habibie administration has been forced to bow to
international pressure to allow international peace keeping forces to
enter East Timor. Although it is too late, the PRD believes that the
presence of the international peace keeping forces in East Timor is a
correct action for guaranteeing the security and peace in East Timor, as
well as protecting the result of the Direct Ballot won by the pro
independence people. They are not to be cheated, cancelled and denied by
the pro integration militias backed, facilitated and supported by the
Indonesian Armed Forces and Police. Accordingly, the PRD believes that
sending the international peace keeping forces are URGENT and the PRD
firmly supports the presence of this international peace keeping force.
The PRD considers further that the presence of the international peace
keeping forces must be followed by an immediate withdrawal of all
Indonesian Military personnel and the disarming of the pro integration
militias. The presence of the Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI) and the
application of Martial Law in East Timor by the Habibie Administration
have proven to have failed in keeping security and peace. On the
contrary, the presence of the TNI legalized by the Martial Law has
caused more victims of brutality by the TNI, Police and militias, total
destruction of buildings, houses, even churches. Many religious leaders
(Fathers, Pastors, and Nuns) were killed by the TNI, Police and the
militias. It is clear then that the application of Martial Law can never
solve the problem, because the main problem (in fact the mastermind) of
violence and killing in East Timor and in Indonesia is the military
itself.
The PRD also considers that the killings done by the military in East
Timor strengthen our belief that the presence of the military in social
and political life will only bring about oppression, violence, poverty
and total destruction of democracy, human rights and human dignity. The
TNI carried out the invasion of East Timor more than twenty years ago,
then for more than two decades they carried out massacres for the sake
of keeping the colonialization in East Timor. The TNI can not and will
not accept the result of the Direct Ballot on August 30. That's why they
have not unarmed the pro Jakarta militias and have supported the
operation for totally burning East Timor. This is another proof that the
Indonesian military brutality is not less than the brutality of the
Nazis in the Second World War.
When the military is carrying out genocide in East Timor, at the same
time they are trying to oppress the principle of human rights and
democracy in Indonesia by applying the Law on National Security and
Safety (RUU PKB). This law is only the other form of the Martial Law No.
23/Prp/1959 applied by the Sukarno regime in 1959. Accordingly, the
demand of the Indonesian people and the students to reject the law is
correct and must be supported. Looking at the case in East Timor, we
believe that there is no reason and legitimacy for the Habibie
administration to apply the repressive law. Once we allow the
application of the RUU PKB, we are taking the people to total
destruction.
"THE PEOPLE UNITED ABOLISH THE DUAL FUNCTION OF ABRI!!!"
"THE PEOPLE UNITED REJECT THE RUU PKB!!!"
Jakarta, 13 September 1999
Central Leadership Committee PRD
Faisol Riza Chair
Ida Nasim Mh Secretary
Indonesian Unionists back East Timor freedom struggle
FNPBI statement on East Timor
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