Economic And Military Sanctions Needed Now

ETAN is stepping up its calls on Canada to impose full economic and military sanctions on Indonesia, and wants the Team Canada trade mission to Japan to put East Timor on the agenda.

"We want Canada to announce, without further delay, that it will impose a formal military embargo on Indonesia, and that it will follow the lead of the United States and cut all economic aid to Indonesia," said Kerry Pither, spokesperson for the East Timor Alert Network (ETAN).

"We also want the Team Canada trade mission to encourage Japan, Indonesia's largest donor, to cut its economic aid too," she said.

Economic and military sanctions from Canada will encourage other countries, like Japan, to follow suit, and will:

* Pressure Indonesia's military commanders to stop commiting atrocities against East Timorese still in the territory;

* Pressure Indonesia's military commanders to stop attacks on refugees who have been deported to West Timor and other parts of Indonesia. Indonesian troops are reportedly abducting boys and men over ten years old from refugee camps in Kupang, West Timor, and hunting East Timorese shipped to other parts of Indonesia;

* Pressure Indonesian authorities to grant immediate access to these camps for international monitors and humanitarian agencies;

* Pressure the Indonesian armed forces to withdraw from East Timor without delay;

* Ensure humanitarian aid teams, both international and non-governmental, get secure access to all areas of the territory. Air-lifts of emergency food, water and medical supplies are needed now for all refugee camps, containment areas, and other sanctuaries both in East Timor and in West Timor;

* Ensure that Indonesia does not stall attempts to get peackeepers onto the ground in East Timor.

"We are pleased that Canada plans to send military personnel, but the atrocities continue now, and we need to do all we can to stop these atrocities now," she said.

"That's why we are asking Canada to announce a full and official military embargo on Indonesia, and the suspension of all bilateral economic aid," she said. "Trade and investment must also be frozen — Indonesian authorities simply must be told that genocide is not acceptable."

"It is outrageous that there has been no mention of air-lifts of basic humanitarian relief yet -- I hope decision makers aren't waiting for the Indonesian military's permission to feed these people," she said.

© Scoop Media