
Issue No 15		28 May 1999

News

Timor Protest Calls for UN Troops

By Deirdre Mahoney

From the time a judge in Darwin gave him only a 12-month suspended sentence for acting "patriotically" in his activities towards a free East Timor, Estanislau Da Silva knew he had a friend in Australia.


	Hazel Hawke addresses the rally as Labor Council officers look on

More to the point, hiding from house to house among Australian trade unionists, Estanislau, from the National Council of Timorese Resistance (CNRT) and now living in Sydney, knew that he had the support of Australian comrades to take home to his people.

Addressing a peaceful rally of more than 500 people in Sydney's Martin Place on Thursday, Estanislau called on the Indonesian government to free CNRT President Xanana Gusmao. The rally was organised by the Labor Council of NSW and church and community groups.

Coinciding with events around the country, speakers called on the United Nations to send in 5,000 peacekeeping reports to ensure a free vote on indepndence.

Sr Josephine Mitchell, from the Mary Mackillop Institute of East Timorese Studies, read out messages of support from Cardinal Edward Clancy and an endorsement from 130 church leaders. Hazel Hawke appealed to the crowd to donate funds to APHEDA - Union Aid Abroad, for urgent medical aid, following reports of a surgeon having to buy a nail from a hardware store to pin together an East Timorese broken leg.

Former Attorney-General, Justice John Dowd, a member of the International Commission of Jurists, and called upon the protesters to put pressure on the Australian Government to push for 5000 troops in East Timor in the leadup to the independence vote scheduled for 8 August. Actor Chris Haywood urged the crowd to fax letters of protest to the Indonesian President Habibe, the Indonesian Embassy in Australia and Australian PM John Howard and Foreign Minister Alexander Downer, and faxes were distributed throughout the crowd for them to send after the rally.

Finally, Labor Council president John Whelan called for the immediate disarming of militia groups, and MC Jane Singleton stressed the importance of union membership, both in work and social issues.

Thanks to all who attended and participated - Amnesty, APHEDA, the Churches, a vigil of women in mourning, the East Timorese singers and dancers, and of course the wonderful unions who supported the day in such strength - CFMEU, MUA, Nurses, Teachers, IEU, PSA, CPSU and Labor Council.

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  Issue 15 contents

Interview: Back to the Grassroots
Trade union trainer Jill Biddington looks at old problems through a new lens. Her message: talk to the workers.

Unions: TWU: The Workplace Union
Ring Tony Sheldon, State Secretary of the NSW Transport Workers Union, and if you don't get through straight away you're told it's because "I'm organising members at the moment".

History: Proud to be a Member
Retired transport workers remind young members of the struggles which produced the benefits they now enjoy.

Indigenous: Nowhere to Run, Nowhere to Hide
Australia's treatment of its indigenous people is a problem that won't go away.

Review: Popcorn Goes for the Crunch
A Sydney production attempts to bring Ben Elton's satire of film-shplatt cinema to life.

Labour Review: What's New at the Information Centre
View the latest issue of Labour review, Labour Council's fortnightly update on industrial issues.

Health: Being Lead Astray
Workers in a range of occupations are exposed to lead and are not being made aware of the hazards

» Labor Council Unveils New Public Face

» Revealed: New, Meaner Breed of Body Hire

» Unions Wins Own Safety Prosecution

» Timor Protest Calls for UN Troops

» Pay Equity Jitters as Report Gathers Dust

» Paid Maternity Leave: One Step Forward - One Step Back

» Court Victory for PNG Workers

» First For Union With Multicultural Arts Grant

» Cleaners Clean Up In Backpay Bonanza

» Unions Join Sorry Ceremony

» Guest Report

» Sport

» Trades Hall

» Piers Watch

» Concern at Timor Attitudes

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