CubanFox
3rd September 2003, 02:22
http://www.worldpress.org/maps/maps/indonesia.gif
Indonesia, for those not familiar with it, is several thousand islands just north of Australia.
http://www.tlfq.ulaval.ca/axl/asie/images/indon-cart-timor.gifhttp://home.swipnet.se/zabonk/jpgcat/irian_jaya.jpghttp://www.cdi.org/terrorism/aceh_map.jpg
Since the '60s, Indonesia has turned into an expansionist power. In 1975 they invaded what was then Portuguese Timor just days after it became independant. They proceeded it to govern it in an iron handed manner that led to a guerilla struggle in which 300,000 Timorese died for the cause. In 1999 East Timor became independant...however, in the days before the independance came into effect, the world watched idly as Indonesia backed militiamen destroyed 90% of Timor's economy, leaving Dili in ruins.
In Irian Jaya, or West Papua as it is known, Indonesia invaded in 1961. They began to totally rape Irian Jaya of its natural resources, clearfelling the pristine rainforest and strip mining the earth of its vast gold resources, allowing toxins to flow into rivers which poisoned countless villages. There is a resistance movement fighting as we speak, but it is West Papuan bows and arrows against Indonesian (American made) helicopter gunships.
However, the main problem is in Aceh today. Aceh, raped of its resources as Irian Jaya has been, is attempting to break away from Indonesian rule. With a long history of guerilla struggle (including one guerilla war against Britain that lasted from 1871 to 1940!) the people are resorting to that method to fighting the Indonesian army. The Indonesian army, unprepared for such a style of warfare, just began slaughtering people they suspected being involved. Many small children have been shot or tortured.
And yet the Australian government supports Indonesia, because, according to Downer, our foreign minister, their human rights abuses are of secondary concern to the safety of Australian citizens (Indonesia is big on this war on terror)
The government is also in fear of a USSR style breakup of Indonesia, a place that shouldn't even be one country. So many cultures are bound to (and do, frequently) clash. The Jakartan government attempts to fix this problem with unpopular cultural unification programmes.
As it is, there is a fast growing Socialist party (http://www.dsp.org.au/links/back/issue14/14pst.html) in East Timor.
Indonesia, for those not familiar with it, is several thousand islands just north of Australia.
http://www.tlfq.ulaval.ca/axl/asie/images/indon-cart-timor.gifhttp://home.swipnet.se/zabonk/jpgcat/irian_jaya.jpghttp://www.cdi.org/terrorism/aceh_map.jpg
Since the '60s, Indonesia has turned into an expansionist power. In 1975 they invaded what was then Portuguese Timor just days after it became independant. They proceeded it to govern it in an iron handed manner that led to a guerilla struggle in which 300,000 Timorese died for the cause. In 1999 East Timor became independant...however, in the days before the independance came into effect, the world watched idly as Indonesia backed militiamen destroyed 90% of Timor's economy, leaving Dili in ruins.
In Irian Jaya, or West Papua as it is known, Indonesia invaded in 1961. They began to totally rape Irian Jaya of its natural resources, clearfelling the pristine rainforest and strip mining the earth of its vast gold resources, allowing toxins to flow into rivers which poisoned countless villages. There is a resistance movement fighting as we speak, but it is West Papuan bows and arrows against Indonesian (American made) helicopter gunships.
However, the main problem is in Aceh today. Aceh, raped of its resources as Irian Jaya has been, is attempting to break away from Indonesian rule. With a long history of guerilla struggle (including one guerilla war against Britain that lasted from 1871 to 1940!) the people are resorting to that method to fighting the Indonesian army. The Indonesian army, unprepared for such a style of warfare, just began slaughtering people they suspected being involved. Many small children have been shot or tortured.
And yet the Australian government supports Indonesia, because, according to Downer, our foreign minister, their human rights abuses are of secondary concern to the safety of Australian citizens (Indonesia is big on this war on terror)
The government is also in fear of a USSR style breakup of Indonesia, a place that shouldn't even be one country. So many cultures are bound to (and do, frequently) clash. The Jakartan government attempts to fix this problem with unpopular cultural unification programmes.
As it is, there is a fast growing Socialist party (http://www.dsp.org.au/links/back/issue14/14pst.html) in East Timor.