RI-Australia friendship

RI-Australia friendship

Due to recent events in East Timor, I wish to write to assure
you of the Australian Council of Trade Unions' (ACTU's)
continuing feelings of friendship toward the workers and people
of Indonesia.

We have had feelings of great anguish and sadness regarding
the events in East Timor. Along with Indonesia, this territory is
close to Australia and as a result of our knowledge of the land
and its people we were very concerned over the violence, killings
and destruction which took place.

It is not for us to allocate any blame for what happened
except to say that it trampled on the human rights of all people
in the region to peace and freedom from violence.

The purpose of this letter is to extend the hand of friendship
to workers and the Indonesian people.

As you know, the ACTU represents the workers of Australia and
we are not a part of the government. So what we say is what we
believe and know to be true. In this regard I would like to
assure you that:

* Australians want Indonesia to be a strong and prosperous
country. We do not want fragmentation of your country and would
not support it happening. The future of Indonesia is for the
Indonesian people to decide.

* Indonesian students and visitors are welcome in Australia. We
want to build stronger friendship between us. Any offensive
behavior toward students or visitors will not be tolerated.

* The ACTU opposes Australia becoming a "deputy" to the United
States in Asia or anywhere else, and no sensible person in
Australia supports that view. The whole idea is offensive and was
the product of a journalist's misguided mind.

* Australia and Indonesia need to continue to build a stronger
friendship between us on the basis of equal rights and equal
respect.

In the past we have stood together during difficult and hard
times. We in Australia stood with the people of Indonesia in your
struggle for independence in the 1940s. We want to continue to
work together, have Australians and Indonesians visit each
other's country in peace, and together build a better future for
all of our people and their children.

BILL MANSFIELD

Assistant Secretary

Australian Council of Trade Unions

Carlton South, Vic.

Australia