Protests against British arms deals with Indonesia
LONDON — Between now and the 20th anniversary of the Indonesian invasion of East Timor on December 7, 1995, activists will be stepping up the campaign to stop the export of Hawk jets and other British arms to the Indonesian junta.
June 10 is the second national day of action to stop the Hawk deal. Campaigners will be using the day to get the message out about the British government's support for the Indonesian genocide. The aim is to build support for the second international day of action on November 12 and to lobby parliament on December 7.
The Hawks Coalition leading the campaign are pushing a joint model resolution for the Labour Party conference which calls an end to all sales of military equipment to Indonesia. So far, in an appalling piece of bipartisanship, the Labour front bench has merely parroted the Tories' demand for proof of the use of Hawks in East Timor.
At the same time activists are signing up to carry out direct action to stop the Hawk deal.
This is a significant development following the unanimous election of Fernando de Araujo as honorary vice-president of the National Union of Students. Student activists, who work on Third World debt, have begun to support the direct action campaign against the Hawk deal, as have some anti-road protesters.
[Reprinted from Socialist Outlook.]