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Australian anti-war activists arrested in Indonesia
ASAP Statement - May 22, 2003
Nick Everett, from Action in Solidarity with Asia and the Pacific (ASAP) and co-convenor of the Sydney Walk Against War Coalition and Kylie Moon, coordinator of Books Not Bombs–a youth coalition against the war, were arrested in Jakarta on Wednesday, May 21.
Everett and Moon, along with two other foreign attendees of the Global Peace Movements Conference, were arrested at a rally organised as part of the conference. They are still in police custody. No charges have been laid.
The peaceful protest of about 400 people also marked the fifth anniversary of the downfall of Suharto. The rally called for an end to global militarism and the war in Aceh. Some speakers also urged the Indonesian government end martial law and withdraw Indonesian troops from Aceh.
Both Nick and Kylie had been asked to attend the conference, organised by Dita Sari and Global South and a number of Indonesian NGOs, to speak about the experiences of the Australian anti-war movement.
Three Indonesian participants were also taken by the police and severely beaten.
ASAP national convenor, Pip Hinman, condemned the arrests. Hinman urged the Australian government to pressure the Indonesian government to free the activists, and ensure the safety of the Indonesian activists.
Hinman, who was arrested in Jakarta two years ago – a long with her four-year-old daughter – while attending a labour rights conference said:
"The activists were in Jakarta to give their support to the democracy and peace movements. What is their crime? Business people can freely attend conferences and the like, without fear of being arrested."
A global protest has been called for an end to the war on Aceh on Friday May 23.
The Sydney protest will take place at 4pm at Sydney Town Hall steps and will also call for the release of the anti-war activists.
Free Aceh demonstrations – Friday 23 May