
Issue No 18		18 June 1999

News

Horta Launches East Timor Mercy Ship

By HT Lee - CFMEU Construction Media Officer

Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Jose Ramos Horta speaking at the launching of the East Timor Mercy Ship yesterday accused the Indonesian military leadership of orchestrating the the violence in East Timor.


	Jose Ramos Horta at the East Timor Mercy Ship launch

According to Horta the humanitarian situation there is shocking. The pro-Indonesian militia supported by the army is carrying out a campaign of terror by killing women and children, storming into churches, denying medical access to thousands of people and causing tens of thousands of people to be displaced.

'After 23 years they still have the illusions that we are going to be intimated and vote for autonomy,' Horta said. Given the opportunity the East Timorese will vote for independence instead of autonomy.

Although Australia is Timor's nearest neighbour there are hardly any Australian medical personnel helping out there. Instead Australia is, 'trying to be nice to Wiranto, trying to be nice to Habibie, the Indonesian army, not offending them,' Horta added.

Dr Vacy Vlazna the coordinated of the Mercy Ship Project who has recently returned from East Timor (helping out in the Motael Clinic) pointed out that this emergency should never have happened.

'We have an Army Field Hospital in Darwin which can be dispatched,' Dr Vlazna said.

However, because of the inactivity of the Australian Government, 'we have to appeal to the Australian people for help.'

The Mercy Ship Project will be sending the first emergency medical supplies to Dili from Darwin on board the Fajar Kangaroo around 20 July. A team of volunteer medical personnel will be flying to Dili to meet up with the emergency supplies.

The Mercy Ship Project needs volunteers for East Timor. Donations for the emergency supplies are urgently needed.

Send your donations to: 'AFAP/East Timor Mercy Ship' POBox 12 Crows Nest 2065.

For further info ring Dr Vacy Vlazna (02) 9948 7043 or email at mailto:[email protected]

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Issue 18 contents

Interview: Ballot Boxing
In the midst of a key anti-union ballot, the Finance Sector Union's Geoff Derrick is learning vital lessons about life in a deregulated labour market.

Unions: Psyched Out
Intense competition in the labour market has fuelled a new renaissance in psychometric testing.

History: Rhetoric and Reality
This month will be a big one for Labor Party rhetoric about the "light on the hill".

International: ILO Adopts Child Labor Convention
Child slavery, prostitution and hazardous work have been outlawed in Geneva

Legal: Competing Agendas in Enterprise Bargaining
Recent developments show unions how they can turn the Reith laws on their head.

Review: Sister Power
A new book offers practical help for women who want to be heard.

» Carers Crisis: Victims Turned Away

» Farmers Back Social Audit

» Holiday Bugs: Government Asked to Act on Y2K

» Oakdale Miners Take Message to Canberra

» United Front for Public Sector Pay

» Talking Books Silenced

» Upper House Reform: Lest We Forget Greiner

» Pregnancy Bunfight Looms

» Horta Launches East Timor Mercy Ship

» Sparkies Back Fantastic Plastic

» APHEDA Helps Beat The Blockade

» Torture Support Day, June 26

» Guest Report

» Sport

» Trades Hall

» Piers Watch

» Chardonnay Debate Lacks Class

» GST Rally, Town Hall, Monday June 21

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