Summary
Forward BY
: HOTLINE ASIA / Asian Center for the Progress of Peoples
Dear Friends,
Hotline Asia, together with justice and peace workers and
representatives of non-governmental organization of ten
Asian countries, have just ended a justice and peace
meeting (from November 26 to 29, 1999) in Bangkok,
Thailand, for the purpose of forging greater unity in the
struggle for the promotion of human rights in Asia. East
Timor is matter of great concern of the participants. To
support East Timorese refugees in West Timor, it is hoped
that the international community can express their
continued concern for the well being of the East Timorese
refugees by writing:
(1) Letters to
President Abdurrahman Wahid and Vice-President Megawati,
Sukarnoputri, President of the Republic of Indonesia,
urging for the protection of the rights and guarantee of
the safety of East Timorese refugees in West Timor during
the repatriation process. Fax: 62-12-345-7782
(2) Solidarity messages to
Bishop Carlos Felipe Ximenes Belo, Bishop of Dili, East
Timor. c/o Email: shanti@indo.net.id
c/o Fax: 62-21-314-7989
Thank You for Your Continued Support!! Please remember to
send copies of your letters to Hotline Asia for
monitoring purpose.
Asian Center for the Progress of Peoples
52 Princess Margaret Road, 1/F, Kowloon, Hong Kong
Tel: (852) 2712 3989 / 2714 5123
Fax: (852) 2711 3545
Email: acpp@hk.super.net
N.B. The message below is from the participants and may
be used as a sample letter.
From : Justice and Peace workers and non-governmental
organizations of ten Asian Countries
Date : November 29, 1999
Subject: (1) Appeal for the Safe Repatriation of East
Timorese Refugees in West Timor
TO:
President Abdurrahman Wahid
President of the Republic of Indonesia
Istana Negara, Gedung Binagraha, Jl. Veteran,
Jakarta Pusat,
Indonesia
Your Excellency,
We have known your commitments to democracy and human
rights and we are happy when you assumed the Presidency
of the Republic of Indonesia.
We know that you are familiar with the plight of the East
Timorese people who are still scattered throughout
Indonesia.
But having learned that Your Excellency have many other
important tasks to attend to, nonetheless, we, workers
for Justice and Peace in Asia would like to ask you, to
set as a priority, the process of stability of East Timor
by helping to expedite their people's safe repatriation
especially those who are in refugee camps of West Timor.
We trust in your capacity to summon the military to
ensure the safety and protect the rights of the East
Timorese refugees on their way back to their nation.
We pray for the success of your government to promote the
welfare and prosperity of the Indonesian people as well
as your support for the emerging nation.
Yours Sincerely,
TO:
Vice-President Megawati, Sukarnoputri
Vice-President of the Republic of Indonesia
Istana Negara, Gedung Binagraha, Jl. Veteran,
Jakarta Pusat,
Indonesia
Her Excellency,
We are happy to have a woman as the Vice President of the
Republic of Indonesia. It is not by mere coincidence that
you have been appointed in-charge of East Timor. Its'
people now need the motherly care at the infancy stage of
their new nation.
We know that you are familiar with the plight of the East
Timorese people who are still scattered throughout
Indonesia.
But having learned that Her Excellency have many other
important tasks to attend to, nonetheless, we, workers
for Justice and Peace in Asia would like to ask you, to
set as a priority, the process of stability of East Timor
by helping to expedite their people's safe repatriation
especially those who are in refugee camps of West Timor.
We know you are in a position to influence the military
to ensure the safety and protect the rights of the East
Timorese on their way back to their nation.
We pray for the success of your Vice-Presidency to
promote the welfare and prosperity of the Indonesian
people as well as your support for the emerging nation.
Yours Sincerely,
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(2)
Solidarity Letter to Bishop Belo
Bishop Carlos Felipe Ximenes Belo
Bishop of Dili
Dili, East Timor
Your Excellency / Most Reverend Monsignor,
We, Justice and Peace Workers in Asia - Pacific, are in
solidarity with you and your people in your struggle for
freedom, justice and peace.
We are deeply aware of the suffering of your people and
are saddened because of the loss of lives and properties,
the human rights abuses, their hunger, sickness, trauma
and dislocation as a result of a senseless war.
Please know that we are praying for you, that we have
acted to put pressure on the international community and
the Indonesian government; and supported your people by
sharing human and material resources.
We assure you of our continuing effort to support you
through these initiatives until such a time that East
Timor could rehabilitate itself as a new nation with
equal dignity and opportunities like the rest of the
other nations.
In Solidarity,
WE SHALL KEEP YOU
INFORMED OF THE LATEST SITUATION AND NECESSARY ACTIONS
REQUIRED BY THE LOCAL GROUPS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
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