E. Timorese demonstrate at British embassy<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): About 50 East Timorese students staged a
\npeaceful rally in front of the British Embassy on Jl. MH. Thamrin
\nyesterday, demanding officials attending the Asia-Europe Meeting
\n(ASEM) in London include human rights issues in East Timor on
\ntheir agenda.<\/p>\n
Mariano Sabino Lopez, spokesman for the East Timor Student
\nAssociation, appealed to the officials to help stop what they see
\nas rampant violations of human rights in the former Portuguese
\ncolony.<\/p>\n
The association, which is made up of East Timorese students
\nstudying in various Javanese cities, also urged officials
\nattending the meetig to put pressure on Indonesia to withdraw
\ntroops from the territory which become part of the country in
\n1976.<\/p>\n
Mariano said a solution to the East Timorese problem would
\nboost relations between countries participating in the ASEM.<\/p>\n
\"Cooperation between the members of ASEM should not focus
\nsolely on economic issues because a country's economy cannot be
\nseparated from national, regional and international political
\naffairs\", Mariano said in his statement.<\/p>\n
Riot police from the Menteng subprecinct and troops from the
\ndistrict military command quickly sealed the area to prevent
\npossible unrest after the demonstrators arrived at about 11 a.m.<\/p>\n
Leaders and senior officials from European and Asian countries
\nare meeting from April 1 through today at the Queen Elizabeth II
\nConference Center in Westminster, London.<\/p>\n
The focus of the meeting is on economic issues, including the
\nAsian crisis. Human rights is not on the agenda.<\/p>\n
Indonesia is represented at the meeting by Vice President B.J.
\nHabibie.<\/p>\n
Some of the protesters were seen trying to clamber onto the
\nembassy's fences to display posters outlining their demands.<\/p>\n
They dispersed peacefully just before 2 p.m. after an embassy
\nofficial briefly met them and received a petition to be submitted
\nto the ambassador. (09)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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