A-Infos (en) S. Africans arrested protesting against Suharto

[Platformist Anarchism <platform@geocities.com>]

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Indonesia: down with Suharto's police state

On the 20 November 40 COSATU members were 
arrested outside parliament. Their crime? 
Protesting against the visit of Indonesian 
dictator Mohamed Suharto. This was in line with 
COSATU's commitment to opposing the brutal 
Indonesian regime.

Suharto seized power in Indonesia in 1965 as 
part of a military coup aided by the CIA 
(Central Intelligence Agency). Within four 
months, the new regime murdered about one 
million communists and their families, as well 
ethnic Chinese.

In the thirty years since this mass murder, 
Suharto has never been charged. Instead, he has 
regularly received aid from the West. Suharto 
has since built up a vast business empire, and 
his family is worth R 150 billion.

There is no political freedom in Indonesia, a 
country of 200 million. At present union leaders 
are in jail for associating with illegal 
political parties. There is no workers freedom. 
Only one fake "official" trade union is allowed, 
strikes are banned, and workers organising 
against the brutal exploitation of the workers 
are often tortured and killed by State forces. 
At least 8 unionists are currently jailed, 
including the general-secretary of the banned 
SBSI union federation: Mutchtar Pakhpahan.

In 1975 Indonesia colonised East Timor. More 
than a third of that country's population has 
died since. Xanana Gusmao, the East Timorese 
activist, remains jailed.

COSATU has described conditions in Indonesia as 
"worse than apartheid South Africa".

Mandela has not condemned the regime. Instead he 
has called Suharto a "close friend" who gave 
money to the ANC for the 1994 elections. Mandela 
has said co-operation and trade link between the 
two countries have grown. Suharto received the 
South African state's highest award - the Order 
of Good Hope - when he visited South Africa this 
year. The award should be withdrawn. Sanctions 
should be imposed on the Indonesian regime. 
COSATU has committed itself to protesting the 
Indonesian regime- we should all support this 
campaign.

FIGHT CRIME: DEAL WITH SUHARTO! RELEASE ALL 
POLITICAL AND TRADE UNION PRISONERS!
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This article is from South African anarchist magazine
     Workers Solidarity

Other articles from this and earlier isssues can be found at
http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/7017/

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