ADELAIDE — Some 70 people attended the first Jason Porter memorial oration here on May 18. Jason Porter, an activist in Resistance, Community Aid Abroad and Campaign for an Independent East Timor, was killed while travelling through Indonesia in December.
The meeting, organised by CAA and the CIET, was addressed by Daryl Bullen from CAA; Abel Guterres, president of the East Timor Relief Association; and Jason's mother Ray and his sister. The meeting heard a message from Resistance and the Democratic Socialist Party, delivered by Anthony Thirwall.
May 18 marks the date of Xanana Gusmao's defence speech in 1993, following his arrest by the Indonesian military. A Travesty of Justice — Xanana Defence, which includes Xanana's defence statement and a selection of his poetry, was launched at the oration.
Both Guterres and Ray Porter urged those at the meeting to continue their active support for the struggle in East Timor.