BRISBANE — In a statement of support for the Artists for East Timor exhibition, at the Metro Arts, independent film maker and author John Pilger called the struggle of the East Timorese one of the most extraordinary and bravest of the 20th century. More than 80 Australian artists have donated works for "[dis]integrasi", which were auctioned to raise funds for Community Aid Abroad cultural development projects in East Timor.
A spokesperson for Artists for East Timor, Cindy Ranger, said that, for the East Timorese, "integrasi" symbolises attempts to disintegrate their nation, language, culture and people. "The exhibition is an indication that many Australians do not sanction the federal government's ongoing support for the Indonesian government, the occupation of East Timor or the human rights abuses being perpetrated."