East Timor's independence struggle not yet over

At its meeting over the weekend of November 20-21, the CPA Central 
Committee called for continuing support for East Timor's struggle for 
independence.

A Party resolution warmly welcomed the victory of the East Timorese people 
after 24 years of struggle and congratulated them on their courage, 
determination and unity.

The resolution said:

"The people have emerged victorious from the armed stage of their long 
national liberation struggle. Now they face the task of winning the peace.

The Indonesian Government, with the tacit approval of the US, Britain and 
Australia, adopted a scorched earth policy in East Timor, using the TNI-
militia to stage a rampage which destroyed East Timor's infrastructure and 
killed, starved and/or displaced many of the people.

The intention was to ensure that if East Timor became independent, it would 
be decades before it could recover and that the recovery would be dependent 
on Western aid. It was planned that economic dependence would restrict 
genuine independence and sovereignty with pressure to take up economic and 
political measures which suit foreign economic interests.

Under enormous pressure from a massive and militant solidarity movement 
around the world, Interfet was finally put together and went into East 
Timor. Interfet, with a majority of Australian troops and under Australian 
leadership, has both a positive and a negative side.

The East Timorese people called for and welcomed Interfet which has the 
endorsement of the United Nations. Interfet forces are saving lives, 
feeding people and helping with reconstruction. All of this is positive.

On the negative side, however, foreign troops represent a new occupation of 
East Timor, intended to ensure that new government and administrative 
structures are compliant, that Australian companies get the biggest slice 
of the reconstruction contracts, and that foreign capital investment 
establishes capitalist economic and political power in the new East Timor.

The resistance of the East Timorese people to this new colonialism is 
already surfacing.

Timorese leader Xanana Gusmao says aid organisations are not co-operating 
with Timorese officials and with the CNRT. He has criticised the World Bank 
and UN for pushing their own agenda and not listening to the people.

CNRT leader Mario Carrascalao has criticised UN "colonialism" and said 
Interfet would not even give Xanana Gusmao office space in Dili.

In a recent incident some Falantil soldiers were disarmed by Australian 
forces. Their people responded immediately with a large protest 
demonstration.

The East Timorese will face many complications as they go through 
protracted struggles to establish a sovereign East Timor and to develop 
their country. Their history of perseverance in struggle stands them in 
good stead. Their recent victories point to their leadership's ability to 
find their way in this difficult period.

East Timor will not achieve its independence without establishing its own 
political institutions and its own armed forces. The East Timorese want 
these institutions to grow out of the CNRT and Falantil, the people's army. 
To deny the East Timorese people their wishes about this is to deny the 
independence of East Timor.

Until the people of East Timor control their resources and the direction of 
development in their land, until they are free from dictatorship by 
Australia, the IMF or other forms of imperialist intervention, their long 
struggle for independence and sovereignty will not be completed."

Principle for independence

The resolution put forward the following principles for an independent and 
sovereign East Timor:

* The will of the East Timorese people, expressed through CNRT, should 
control the direction of development in the country.

* Aid should only be delivered in co-operation with the East Timorese 
independence forces.

* New government and administrative structures should be established by the 
East Timorese people themselves and not by the United Nations as currently 
proposed.

* A time limit should be set by the East Timorese people for the withdrawal 
of all foreign forces.

* The Australian Government should revoke its recognition of East Timor as 
part of Indonesia.

The East Timorese people have to be supported in their right to decide 
their own future and to put an end to the involvement of all foreign forces 
when they regard it as appropriate.