Regional solidarity actions for East Timor

By Max Lane KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — The steering committee of the Asia Pacific Coalition on East Timor (APCET) met from October 13-15 to discuss the coordination of support activities for the East Timorese independence struggle. The steering Committee is made up of activists from Japan, the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Australia. A representative of the National Council for Maubere Resistance (CNRM) was also present. APCET was formed at an international conference held in Manila in June 1994, which was attended by 100 activists from the region. The steering committee meeting affirmed the call, issued by the Manila-based APCET secretariat, for all actions commemorating the fourth anniversary of the November 12 Dili massacre to include the lighting of a flame of remembrance for the more than 200,000 East Timorese who have died during the Indonesian invasion and occupation. Commemorative protests will be held in Tokyo and Osaka in Japan from November 7-10 which will coincide with the next summit meeting of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC). Philippines in Solidarity with East Timor and Indonesia (PHILSETI) is organising protest actions in Manila on the weekend of November 11-12. Marches and pickets will be held outside the Indonesian embassy in Colombo in Sri Lanka. In a new development in Malaysia, an assembly of non-government organisations and opposition political parties will meet to discuss plans for coordinated actions on East Timor. In Australia, reports received so far indicate that flame-lighting ceremonies will take place in Sydney, Melbourne, Darwin and Canberra with other centres expected to follow suit. The steering committee received information that many other groups had taken up the call for a symbolic flame lighting as a part of the commemoration activities.