[PEN-L:6889] Oct. 28 for Indonesia & East Timor (fwd)

[D Shniad <shniad@xxxxxx>]

> From: asiet <asiet@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> Subject: Oct. 28 for Indonesia & East Timor
> Path: asiet
> Date: Thu, 24 Oct 1996 04:58 AEST
>
> ROUND-UP OF ACTIONS BEING ORGANISED FOR OCTOBER 28 AS OF THURSDAY, OCTOBER
> 24, 1996.
>
> FURTHER INFORMATION WILL BE REPORTED AS IT COMES TO HAND.
>
> In solidarity,
>
> Max Lane.
> *******
>
> Australia
>
> 1.  There will be 24hr hunger strikes in all Australian state capital
> cities, the national capital, Canberra, and two provincial cities. There
> will be associated public meetings and piuckets outside the embassies (where
> there is one) in all cities. Video schowings and educational stalls are
> attached to most hunger strike locations.
>
> Trade union involvement is taking the form of participation by trade
> unionists in the pulic meetings. Participation varuies from provinve to
> province. Australia's four biggest trade unions are involved, at one lebvel
> or another - sometimes state branch. They include:
> * Maritime Union of Australia (speakers, endorsement) * Construction,
> Forestry, Mining and Engineering Union (speakers from strike committe,
> official endorsement ion sone cities) * Community and Public Sector Union
> (endorsement, speakers) * Amalgamated Metal Workers Union (AMWU)
>
> In the state of South Australia, an initiative taken in conjunction is the
> establishment of a Women Trade Unionists in Solidatarity with Dita Sari
> network. This is being initiated by the South Australian Secretary of the
> Community and Public Sector Union.
>
> Also participating in a 48hr hunger strike is the Secondary High School
> Students Union in New South Wales state.
>
> The activities have been sponsored by a wide range of groups, again varying
> from state to state. These range from the various progressive political
> parties, other solidarity groups, Aboriginal groups, etc
> In all states, where there is an East Timorese community, East Timorese
> representatives are participating.
>
> 2.  India.
>
> A demonstration is being organised outside the Indonesian Embassy in new
> Delhi. Human rights, student and trade unions groups will participate in
> this and a following press conference. There is a public meeting at the
> Jawargal nehru university in Delhi. The main trade union group involved is
> the All India Congress of Trade Unions, who are sponsoring the visit to
> India by Nico Warouw, International Representative of the PRD. Follow-up
> demonstrations are being held in Calcutta, also with Nico Warouw
> particpating.
>
> 3.  The Philippines.
>
> The BMP (Philippines Worker Solidarity), the largest trade union grouping in
> Manila, will be organising a picket outside the Indonesian Embassy.
>
> 4.  South Africa
>
> A picket is being organised outside the Indonesian Embassy in Pretoria.
> It is being officially organised by the African National Congress (ANC), the
> Conress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) and the SOuth African
> Communist Party (SACP).
>
> 5. The Netherlands
>
> Two days of activities in Amstedam, Rotterdam and The Hague, based around a
> 24hr hunger strike. Activities include poetry readings, video showings,
> various speakers etc. The actions are organised by Coordinationgroup for
> Solidarity to Support Peoples Resistence in Indonesia/Supporting Movement
> for the Democratisation in Indonesia ( CSVI/GPDI) , SAP (Sosialist Labour
> Party), LCKW (Landelijk Commitee Koppeling Wet), Werkgroep PURNAMA
> (UTRECHT), HVP (HAAG'S PEACE PLATFORM), YTI (Yayasan Tragedi Indonesia),
> AKSI SETIAKAWAN
>
> 6. Germany
> German parliamentarians, including from the Party of Democratic Socialism,
> will visit the Indonesian Embassy in a protest activity on October 28. They
> will also hand over petitions to the Indonesian Embassy. There will be two
> press onferences in the parliaments of Saxony and Berlin, which will include
> statements by Indonesia eye-witnesses.
>
> 7. New Zealand
> The East Timor solidarity committee is organising a demonstration on Friday
> October 25 as part of the International Day.
>
> 8. London
> TAPOL is organising a picket outside the Embassy on October 28.
>
> 9. United States
> There will be a protest at noon on the 28th in front of the Clinton/Gore
> headquarters here in San Francisco (Van Ness and Post Streets), using the
> hook of the scandal over the Indonesian campaign contributions to focus on
> US military and economic ties. We are demanding an end to US arm sales and
> military aid, support for Indonesian workers right to organize; freedom for
> all political prisoners and self-determination for East Timor. The action is
> organized by Global Exchange, the East Timor Action Network, The East Timor
> Religious Outreach and the International Action Center. We are trying to get
> key laobr leaders and religious figures to speak, we will be carrying bags
> of money into the headquarters, and do some "guerrilla theater."
> The International Action Center in New York, founded by former U.S. Attorney
> General Ramsey Clark, are planning a picket and rally (Oct. 28, 5:00-6:00
> p.m.) at the Indonesian Mission to the United Nations (325 E. 38th St.),
> followed by a march to the U.S. Mission to the UN. Our chapter in San
> Francisco is also participating in a demonstration there the same day at
> noon at Clinton/Gore headquarters, Van Ness and Post streets.
>
> The demands include 1) stop U.S. arms sales and military aid to the Suharto
> regime; 2) support Indonesian workers' right to organize and for a living
> wage; 3) free all Indonesian and East Timorese political prisoners; and 4)
> self-determination for East Timor. Could you please keep us posted on
> developments in other countries?
>
> 10. Canada
>
> National News Conference with:
> Bob White, President of the Canadian Labour Congress (represents over 2
> million Canadian workers);
> and Bella Galhos, exiled East Timorese woman (the only one in Canada)
> 10:30 am Eastern Standard Time, Monday, October 28, 1996
> Houses of Parliament, News conference room
> Ottawa (Canada's capital)
> Planning for the content of the news conference is still being done, but
> this is what we do know. Bob White will note that Muchtar Pakpahan was a
> guest at the May 1996 Canadian Labour Congress convention in Vancouver
> Canada. He will call for the release of all the political prisoners, and
> call for the right to freedom of association, etc. Bella Galhos will speak
> in solidarity, and particularly note the solidarity between East Timorese
> and Indonesian pro-democracy activists. Demands will be made of the Canadian
> and Indonesian governments. In conclusion, we will announce how widespread
> the day's activities are, by talking about the actions on the list you sent
> to us.
>
>  ACTION IN SOLIDARITY WITH INDONESIA AND EAST TIMOR (ASIET)
> P.O. BOX 458, BROADWAY 2007, AUSTRALIA
> Tel: 61-02-6901032  Fax: 61-02-6901381
> Web Page: http://www.peg.apc.org/~asiet/
>
> Free East Timor! Free Xanana Gusmao!
> Freedom in Indonesia! Free all political prisoners!
> Defend the PRD!
> Suharto regime out of the internal affairs of political parties!
> No military ties with Suharto dictatorship!
>
> *****
>