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End ties with the Indonesian dictatorship!

ASIET Statement - June 3, 1998

The time has come for the Coalition government to withdraw all support for the corrupt New Order regime in Indonesia. Suharto may have gone, but the foundations of the Suharto dictatorship remain -- foundations like the constitutional right of the army to intervene in politics and the outlawing of parties the dictatorship doesn't like.

The overwhelming majority of Indonesians are clearly demonstrating that they do not support this corrupt and brutal regime, whether headed by Suharto, Habibie or any other member of the elite. Yet, the Australian government continues to give it legitimacy by providing political, military and financial support.

Today, for the first time in its bloody 33-year history, the Indonesian government faces a grave crisis -- its end is in sight. The Indonesian people are determined to win their democratic, civil and trade union rights. For this chance to become a reality and more bloodshed avoided, the Howard government must act now and withdraw its support. It's time for a different approach in Australian-Indonesian relations.

Australian governments have long been aware of the dirty record of the Suharto government. The dictatorship came to power after a bloodbath in which at least 500,000 people were slaughtered and tens of thousands more imprisoned. At least 15,000 were imprisoned without trial for 15 years.

All the world knows that at least 200,000 people have died in East Timor, either killed by Suharto's military or from starvation, the result of the war of occupation. All the world knows that more than 200 people were killed at the Dili massacre on November 12, 1991.

All the world knows about the increasing number of political prisoners in the 1990s: Xanana Gusmao, Budiman Sujatmiko, Dita Sari, Wilson, and Sri Bintang Pamungkas and Mochtar Pakpahan (now released). More recently, Suharto added new names to his list -- People's Democratic Party (PRD) leaders Andi Arief, Mugianto, Aan Rusdianto and Nezar Patria, as well as at least 200 others. Worse still, some of these figures have “disappeared”, with the government and military denying knowledge of the kidnappings.

All the world knows about the corruption, cronyism and collusion that has helped Suharto and his cronies turn themselves into billionaire tycoons. Forbes business magazine estimated Suharto's personal wealth as US$16 billion.

This has been financed by World Bank and IMF-approved loans since 1967, so that Indonesia now has an official debt of some US$60 billion. Western and Japanese banks also dived in, lending crony companies another $40 billion. The current round of IMF loans is aimed at rescuing Suharto, his cronies and the big multinational corporations in Indonesia.

Now, when the results of bad economic policy, worsened by corruption, collusion and cronyism are causing economic havoc and the majority of Indonesians have rejected the regime, the Howard government refuses to break its ties with Jakarta.

Therefore we demand that the Australian government stop supporting the Indonesian regime. In particular, we demand that the government:

1. withdraw recognition from the Indonesian government;
2. refuse any further financial support to the Indonesian government;
3. End all joint military exercises, aid and training with the Indonesian military while political repression in Indonesia and military occupation in East Timor and West Papua continues;
4. demand the release of all political prisoners in Indonesia, East Timor and West Papua;
5. stop trying to deport East Timorese refugees fleeing Indonesia's illegal military occupation of East Timor and grant them long-term residency visas in Australia;
6. refuse to recognise any New Order administration, and only restore support to a government freely and democratically chosen by the Indonesian people; and
7. freeze all Suharto family assets in Australia and hold them in trust until they can be made available to a democratically elected Indonesian government.

Donations made to the People's Power Fighting Fund, Commonwealth Bank account number 2026 1006 0743, will be sent directly to pro-democracy activists in Indonesia.

List of endorsements

Senator Margaret Reynolds (ALP; member of Parliamentarians for Indonesia); Senator Bob Brown (Greens); Jim McClelland (former Labor minister; Sydney Morning Herald columnist); Ian Cohen (NSW Green MLA); Senator John Woodley (Australian Democrats, Qld); Ian Jamieson (West Coast Council, Tas).

Renato Constantino Jr (Sanlakas, Philippines); South African Municipal Workers Union; Eric Toussaint (Committee for the Abolition of Third World Debt, Belgium); Jipi De Lay (Socialism without Frontiers, Belgium); Duncan Hall (Centre for Social History, University of Warwick, UK); Dorotea Wilson (MP; FSLN national directorate, Nicaragua); Melanie Vance (Socialist Workers Party, England); Venjie Vina (Movement for the Advancement of Student Power, Philippines); Bong Costales (BISIG, Philippines); Noam Chomsky (Massachusetts Institute of Technology); Dale McKinley (South Africa).

John Percy (secretary, Democratic Socialist Party); Alison Thorne (Freedom Socialist Party); Sean Healy (Resistance national coordinator); Peter Riley (Industrial Workers of the World); Lisa Macdonald (Green Left Weekly); Marg Hutton (LeftLinks); Sheila Suttner (chairperson, Communist Party of Australia, WA branch).

Greg Combet (assistant national secretary, ACTU); Alan Matheson (international officer, ACTU); Leigh Hubbard (secretary, Victorian Trades Hall Council); Martin Kingham (president, Victorian THC); Chris White (secretary, SA United Trades and Labor Council); Michelle Hogan (assistant secretary, SA UTLC); Paul Matters (secretary, South Coast Labor Council); Jeremy Pyner (secretary, ACT Trades and Labor Council); Colin Cooper (national vice-president, Communications, Electrical and Plumbing Union); Stephen Spence (president, SA UTLC); James Boyle (secretary, Northern NSW branch, Maritime Union of Australia); Tom Hannon (national secretary, Meatworkers Union); Bob Berghout (secretary, Newcastle University branch, National Tertiary Education Industry Union); Susan Hopgood (deputy federal secretary, Australian Education Union); Janet Giles (president, SA branch, AEU); Jeff Knight (secretary, Qld branch, plumbing division, CEPU); Les Crofton (secretary, Qld branch, Australian Rail, Tram & Bus Industry Union); Jenny Eccles (secretary, ACT branch, Community & Public Sector Union); Claire Moore (secretary, Qld branch, CPSU); Gaye Yuille (branch executive president, Australian Services Union); Victorian branch of the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union; Melanie Sjoberg (organiser, SA Public Service Association; Dita Sari Network); Peggy Trompf (Workers Health Centre, Sydney); Ian Jordan (central councillor, NSW Public Service Association); Stephen Kelly (NSW Teachers Federation); Bernard Griffin (Independent Education Union of Australia); John Hennessy (general secretary, NSW Teachers Federation); Rod Lambert (international officer, WA Trades and Labor Council); C. Cook (Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers Union); D. Kemp (LHMWU); Darryl Smith (MUA); Tony Evans (AMWU); Howard Guilla (QLD division, NTEU); Andrew Ferguson (state secretary, CFMEU); Lynne Rolley (federal secretary, IEU); Graham Roberts (national president, Australian Workers Union); Dean Mighells (Victorian state secretary, electrical division, CEPU); Fred Moore (life member, mining division, CFMEU); Hughie Williams (secretary, Qld branch, Transport Workers Union); Rod Morrison (assistant secretary, SA PSA); Bill Game (WA secretary, electrical division, CEPU); University of Melbourne NTEU Library Committee; Col Griffiths (secretary, Tas branch, MUA); Mark Armstrong (secretary, Southern NSW branch, MUA); Francine Galloway (assistant state secretary, Tas branch, Health and Community Services Union); Giulia Corradetti (president, PSU Group; Tas branch, CPSU); Robert Coombs (Sydney branch secretary, MUA); Jim Donovan (national president, MUA).

Ray Richmond (Wayside Chapel); Fr Pacras Jordon O.P. (Pax Christi); Fr Peter Maher (Newtown Catholic Church); Rev. Ted Kennedy (Catholic Presbytery, Redfern).

Dr George Aditjondro (dissident Indonesian academic, self-exiled; lecturer, University of Newcastle); Anthony Burke (Department of Political Science, ANU); Malcolm C. Rammage, QC; Jamie Doughney (Victoria University of Technology); Ann Hale (Sydney University).

Max Lane (national coordinator, ASIET); Harold Moucho (coordinator, FRETILIN NSW); Abel Guterres (national president, East Timor Relief Association); Zohl de Ishtar (Women for a Nuclear Free and Independent Pacific); All Burma Students Democratic Organisation (Australia); Stephen Langford (Australia East Timor Association NSW); Jill Hickson (assistant national coordinator, ASIET; film-maker of Resist!); Pip Hinman (Asia Pacific Women's Solidarity Network); Mano Navaratnam (Tamil Eelam Women's Front); Campaign for an Independent East Timor (SA); Andrew McNaughton (East Timor International Support Centre).

John Pilger (author and film-maker); David Bradbury (film-maker of Jabiluka; director, Frontline Films); Vince Jones (jazz musician); Paul Kelly (singer/songwriter); Bruce Petty (cartoonist); Margret Roadknight (singer); Thomas Keneally (writer); Peter Hicks (folk musician); Chris Kelly (cartoonist).

Win Childs (convener, Politics in the Pub); Rod Hibberd (urban environmentalist); Damien Lawson (Copwatch (Vic)); Gil Appleton; Yaluritja (Clarrie Isaacs, president of the Aboriginal Government of Australia); Denis Doherty (Australian Anti-Bases Campaign Coalition).

Rose Tracey (national president, National Union of Students); Katrina Curry (education officer, NUS National); Vanessa Badham (president, NUS NSW); Damien Cahill (education officer, NUS NSW); Nick Soudakoff (education vice-president, University of Canberra); Marina Carman (vice-president, Sydney University SRC); Zanny Begg (education officer, NUS Qld); Ray Fulcher (education officer, Melbourne University); Kathy O'Driscoll, Deb Woodbridge (co-women's officers, Southern Cross University, Lismore); Brad Cleary (education officer, SCU, Lismore); Ben Playle (United Nations Youth Association of Australia); Fiona Whittaker (UWA women's officer); Phil Harrold (education vice-president, Murdoch University student guild); Tasmania University SRC; Paul Glenning (treasurer, Central Queensland University Environment Society); Linda Kramer (president, CQU Environment Society); Trevor Ackfield; (CQU Environment Society); Matthew Ryan (Chaplain, CQU); Stephen Dawson (education officer, NUS West); Lalitha Chelliah (Deakin University).
 

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