Sibylle Kaczorek, Baucau – On November 26-30, 40 or so members of the Asia Pacific Coalition for East Timor (APCET) met here to discuss international solidarity with East Timor. The international guests were joined by around the same number of East Timorese representatives from local non-government organisations.
The theme of the APCET IV conference was "Building an independent East Timor: empowering the grassroots, consolidating civil society".
Prior to the conference, delegates met with different East Timorese groups, giving them an insight into the current issues and debates.
Action in Solidarity with Indonesia and East Timor (ASIET) organised its first solidarity brigade to East Timor. Six members from Darwin spent 10 15 days visiting a number of districts and villages. Three brigade members attended the conference with a better understanding of the problems being faced by the Timorese people.
Based on these first-hand experiences as well as its six years of activism, the conference delegates decided that APCET shall maintain its advocacy role rather than move into the provision of a development aid.
It was argued that APCET's strength since 1994 has been its members' campaign work and activism work in their respective countries. APCET member groups are active in Australia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and South Korea.
Campaigns identified for the next period included: the return of all East Timorese in West Timor who wish to; the disarmament and disbanding of the militias; a ban on all military ties with Indonesia; a secure border East Timor and West Timor; the establishment of an International war crimes tribunal; the protection and extension of East Timor's sovereignty over its resources including Timor Gap oil; and opposition to exploitative economic development.
Discussions were guided by APCET members' understanding that real independence for East Timor will only be won once fully democratic and non-exploitative structures are established, guaranteeing the participation in political and economic decisions by all East Timorese.
This is a new challenge for APCET and its members, as ideological positions will increasingly influence the campaign areas. ASIET had to argue strongly for the inclusion of economic demands and emphasised the danger to East Timor's independence if it ends up being dictated to by the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and big business.
The conference elected a steering committee, which will be the decision-making body between conferences and national council meetings. Australia's ASIET was re-elected as a member on the committee. The next conference is set for 2002 and a location in West Papua was proposed.