Australia shifts ground on East Timor

Internationally there is a growing assumption that East Timor is moving 
towards independence. The Australian and Indonesian Governments reluctantly 
acknowledge independence is a possibility but still yearn for East Timor to 
remain within the territory of Indonesia. Regardless of their preferred 
option both the Coalition and Labor are publicly supporting the right of 
the East Timorese to decide the issue for themselves.

The Coalition Government and Labor Opposition (contrary to the views of 
many of its members) both recognise the illegal occupation and annexation 
of the former Portuguese colony by Indonesia.

The policies of successive Australian Governments dating back to Menzies in 
the '60s have supported the incorporation of East Timor into Indonesia.

Documents published by the Sydney Morning Herald at the weekend 
confirm that Prime Minister Gough Whitlam supported the incorporation prior 
to the Indonesian invasion.

A record of a meeting between Indonesian President Suharto and the 
Australian Prime Minister Gough Whitlam in April 1975 said: "The Prime 
Minister [Whitlam] noted that, for the domestic audience in 
Australia, incorporation into Indonesia should appear to be a 
natural process arising from the wishes of the people." (emphasis added — 
Ed)

"... good relations with Indonesia were of paramount importance to 
Australia."

At the time speculation was rife that Indonesia was preparing to invade 
East Timor.

Since then Australia has provided Indonesia with military assistance, 
condoned the brutal terror and genocide of one third of the population of 
East Timor, and negotiated the Timor Gap Treaty with Indonesia to carve up 
East Timor's oil.

The manoeuvring is now under way to try to control the "peace", in 
particular the process of self-determination which has been promised.

The Australian Government should be calling for the withdrawal of the 
Indonesian military and for the pro-Indonesian militias to be disarmed and 
disbanded so that the East Timorese people can exercise their right to 
self-determination free of coercion.

The UN has an important role to co-ordinate a peace keeping and 
humanitarian mission for East Timor to supervise the withdrawal of the 
Indonesian military.

Australia has indicated its preparedness to "contribute generously" to a 
transitional assistance mission if the UN co-ordinates one. It has been 
suggested that up to 3,000 soldiers and civilian workers could be involved.

"East Timorese in Australia and the supporters of peace in East Timor see 
this as a hopeful sign that an Australian Government might finally cease 
the long years of betrayal", said Andrew Alcock, Information Officer of the 
Campaign for an Independent East Timor (SA).

Mr Alcock called on the Australian Government to cease military cooperation 
with Indonesia until it has withdrawn from East Timor and stopped expanding 
the pro-Indonesian militias.

"It is tragic that former Australian Governments did not take a stronger 
stand on East Timor question years ago. If they had, the East Timorese 
could have been spared much death, suffering and terror."