By Kerryn Williams
Ten members of Action in Solidarity with Indonesia and East Timor (ASIET) returned on February 14 from an action-packed, two-week student exposure tour of Indonesia.
During the tour, the students met with activist and human rights organisations fighting for democracy and against military repression. They learned about the struggles of workers for decent wages and conditions, of students against the IMF-imposed cuts to education subsidies and of peasants for land and access to much needed basic technology. The students will be reporting their experiences to ASIET club meetings on campuses around Australia in the coming weeks.
ASIET clubs are beginning to plan their solidarity activities for the first part of the year. These include:
- film screenings and public forums;
- fundraising for grassroots-controlled reconstruction projects in East Timor and pro-democracy activities in Indonesia;
- a national speaking tour of People's Democratic Party chairperson and former political prisoner in Indonesia Budiman Sujatmiko and Timorese Socialist Party general secretary Avelino da Silva; and
- building a national day of action on May 13 demanding justice for the East Timorese and for all refugees.
Phone (02) 9690 1230 and we'll put you in touch with your local ASIET group.