Statement From Dili Re: U.S. Independence Day

The military invasion of Soeharto's New Order Government on the 7th of December 1975 was an illegal act that gave a dirty name to justice and disregarded any sense of respect for human rights. For 24 years the people of East Timor lived with oppression, killings, rape, loss of the right to life and the theft of natural resources. The arrival of the Indonesian military to East Timor was a set-down of soldiers that brought disaster. This was an arrival of the angel of death, sent by the nation of Uncle Sam. They helped to build up military strength for a project of genocide. The world knew this. The American people also knew this but did not stop it, and in fact succeeded in propagandising the legality of their invasion. We can see this from many factors, for example in the hypocrisy of the fact that the United States, a huge nation that speaks highly and constantly of democracy and human rights, could give their full support to such actions that so completely oppose humanity. Looking even further into the past, in December 1975, several hours after the American President Gerald Ford and the American Foreign Minister Henry Kissinger left Jakarta, Indonesian troops immediately launched their land, sea and sky invasion into East Timor. And from Hawaii, Kissinger in a press conference stated, "if we had to choose between East Timor and Indonesia, The United States would certainly choose Indonesia". We also know that 90% of the weapons that were used for the invasion came from the USA. Such is the reason why the USA always prevented any UN action to stop the invasion and the Jakarta regimes subsequent occupation, because, for the USA, Indonesia was a place for many important business deals. At the time of the Jimmy Carter government, in 1977, military aid and the sale of weapons to the value of US$112 million continued. Indonesia used napalm bombs, also made in the United States, to murder East Timorese refugees in the mountains, such as on Matebian Mountain, people who had run there to be safe from attacks and to carry out the long term struggle of the Maubere people which was in place at the time. This close relationship with Indonesia continued even after hundreds of people were killed and injured in Santa Cruz cemetery on the 12th of November 1991. This support even continued in the time of Bill Clinton's presidency, in the midst of strong criticism from members of Congress and the American people. However, military aid and training amounting to US$500 million continued to be disbursed to the Indonesian government at this time. Immunity from the law for cuckold American troops, recently advocated to protect them from the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court, also demonstrates the arrogance and tyranny of the United States. We will not be silent and wait for the perpetrators of crimes against humanity to realise their sins and admit to and apologise for what they have done. We call upon the United States Government, cuckold that today celebrates its 226th anniversary of independence, to apologise for their complicity in 24 years of Indonesian occupation in East Timor. We also call on the United States government not to re-establish military ties between the United States and the Indonesian government. Finally, we call upon the United States government not to prevent the establishment and processes of an International War Crimes Court for East Timor. Fight for Justice now! Invasi militer pemerintahan Orde Baru Soeharto pada tanggal 7 Desember tahun 1975 merupakan tindakan ilegal yang melecehkan keadilan dan mengesampingkan rasa kemanusiaan. Selama 24 tahun rakyat Timor Lorosa'e hidup dalam penindasan, pembunuhan, pemerkosaan, perampasan hak hidup dan perampokan kekayaan alamnya. Kedatangan militer Indonesia ke bumi Lorosa'e adalah kedatangan para serdadu yang membawa malapetaka. Adalah kedatangan malaikat pencabut nyawa yang diutus dari negeri Paman Sam. Mereka menggalang kekuatan militer dalam sebuah proyek genosida. Dunia mengetahuinya. Rakyat Amerika mengetahuinya tetapi tidak menghentikannya, dan malah berhasil membuat berbagai propaganda untuk mengesahkan invasi mereka. Kita bisa melihatnya dari berbagai fakta, dimana Amerika Serikat, sebuah negara besar yang mengagung-agungkan demokrasi dan hak asasi manusia malah memberikan dukungan penuh terhadap tindakan yang anti kemanusiaan tersebut. Lebih jauh lagi kebelakang, pada Desember 1975, beberapa jam setelah presiden Gerald Ford dan Menteri Luar negeri Amerika Serikat Henry Kissinger meninggalkan Jakarta, tentara Indonesia langsung melancarkan invasi lewat laut, darat dan udara ke Timor Lorosa'e.