By Nick Fredman
LISMORE — Friends of East Timor (FET) groups and supporters of Green Left Weekly in northern NSW have organised successful events in solidarity with Indonesia and East Timor.
In Byron Bay on July 4, 120 people attended a screening of John Pilger's film The Timor Conspiracy, and a FET group was formed. Sixty people saw the film in Lismore on July 22, 40 in Nimbin on August 5 and 25 in The Channon on August 6. Screenings have also been held in Kyogle and at the Bohdi Farm community.
Most of the proceeds have gone to FET's East Timor appeal, which has also been supported by the Lismore Council, local doctors, the Southern Cross University Student Representative Council and local newspapers. The appeal has raised several thousand dollars for aid projects and is funding three people to observe the August 30 autonomy ballot in East Timor.
The SCU Women's Collective and FET launched a new book, Buibere — Voice of East Timorese Women, on August 10, during SCU's Blue Stocking Week. The launch was addressed by Lismore Mayor Ros Irwin, state Labor MLC Janelle Saffrin and FET's Russell Anderson. Saffrin and Anderson are to visit East Timor as ballot observers.