Fifth anniversary of East Timor's independence vote

Statement from East Timor Action Network

Five years ago, the people of East Timor, defying intense 
intimidation from the Indonesian security forces and their 
militia proxies, voted overwhelmingly for independence. We 
celebrated that historic vote.

Outraged, we mobilised as Indonesia capped over two decades of 
murder and mayhem by systematically destroying the country. 
Today, the physical scars of that destruction remain visible and 
the cries of the East Timorese people for justice go largely 
unanswered. More than two years after independence, East Timor's 
freedom struggle remains far from complete.

Five years later, the East Timorese people still crave justice 
and full control over their natural resources, and the Indonesian 
military continues to commit gross human rights violations with 
impunity.

Last week, the UN Secretary General told the Security Council 
that "those responsible for the serious crimes committed in 1999 
must be held to account, and it is essential that justice is seen 
to be done in these cases". The recent acquittals on appeal of 
Indonesian security officials reminded the international 
community yet again that Indonesia's ad hoc court on East Timor 
is a sham. Will international pledges of justice also be hollow?

The violence in 1999 was a systematic assault not only on East 
Timor, but on a UN mission. The UN must heed the call of East 
Timor's people for the international community to take the lead 
on issues of accountability for war crimes and crimes against 
humanity by setting up an international tribunal. This tribunal 
must have the resources and clout to credibly prosecute the top 
Indonesian officials responsible for organising the most brutal 
and heinous of crimes against the people of East Timor, beginning 
with Indonesia's invasion on December 7, 1975.

We urge the Australian Government to respect the sovereignty and 
resource rights of East Timor by promptly and fairly negotiating 
a permanent maritime boundary between the two countries. 
Resource-sharing agreements, while providing the new nation with 
much needed funds, are not a substitute for recognition of East 
Timor's rights under international law.

Australia should return the more than US$1 billion they have 
stolen so far from oil fields that are twice as close to their 
impoverished neighbour. East Timor should not be forced to 
concede what is rightfully theirs to Australia.

We call attention to the US Government's role during the 1999 
referendum period and throughout the illegal Indonesian military 
occupation of East Timor. A full accounting of US knowledge and 
actions during this time is essential if future crimes are to be 
prevented.

In 1999, mixed signals from the Clinton administration encouraged 
Indonesia's campaign of terror. When the US unambiguously cut off 
the Indonesian military in early September, Indonesia quickly 
agreed to honour the vote and to withdraw.

In Aceh, West Papua and elsewhere, the Indonesian military 
continues to use the same brutal tactics it refined in East 
Timor, often directed by the same commanders. The Bush 
administration's current efforts to step up training and other 
assistance to Indonesia's security forces have only encouraged 
more violations and legitimised continued impunity throughout the 
archipelago.

We call on the Bush administration to halt its drive to engage 
the Indonesian military. We call on the US Congress to ban all 
assistance to this savage force.

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For information on ETAN and East Timor, visit http://www.etan.org