EAST TIMOR is in South East Asia, near Indonesia. Long a Portuguese colony, East Timor was invaded by Indonesia in 1975. Since then, the extreme right wing Indonesian government of Suharto has waged a genocidal counter revolutionary war against the people in that country. Tens of thousands have been massacred.
ABILIO ARAUJO is a member of the Central Committee of the liberation organisation Fretlin, and Minister for Social and Economic . Affairs in the Government of the Democratic Republic of East Timor, declared on 18 November 1975 in Dili, East Timor.
Many people will be unfamiliar with the struggle of the people of East Timor. What took place prior the Indonesian invasion 1975?
We lived under the Portuguese colonialists for 450 years. These were years of harsh repression and exploitation. and struggles took place. In particular, I would like to mention the revolt which took place at the end of the century, led by one of our traditional chiefs called Boa Ventura he succeeded establishing an government the lasted for 17 years.
The independent government was only crushed after the Portuguese sent troops from Mozambique. Sporadic resistance continued after, and during the second world war the East Timorese people fought against Japanese invaders.
After the Portuguese dictatorship was overthrown in 1974, there was a big debate about the future of our country, decided to establish an independent state. Fretlin declared dependence on 1975. Tens days later the Indonesians invaded.
What are the policies of Fretlin?
Our programme aims at the total liberation of our country. fighting not only for political independence, not just to have a flag anthem, political, economic and cultural independence. That fighting all colonialists, colonialists and imperialists. We are organising our people in production, in against illiteracy, for health care, for political education continue develop military needs to continue the armed struggle.
So in the liberated zones we have to organise the social life of the people as well as preparing to deepen the military struggle.
The indonesians control about 30 per cent of the territory, control the other 70 per cent. We have a regular army of 7,000 and thousands of irregular guerrillas.
in Many revolts in rebellion Abilio Araujo the but we inNovember We are but for means neocampaigns • and also our we the guerillas are?
Demonstrators battle with Indonesian troops The world's capitalist press is saying that Fretlin is finished and East Timor is under Indonesian control. Is it true? And is it true that people have moved back into the Indonesian controlled areas, yca.. away from the mountains where If we were a spent force, then the JAVA Indian Ocean Indonesian Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces would not have had to come to negotiate the cease fire agreement which was reached with us in March of this We told the Indonesians that a lasting peace only brought about on the basis of Manila MALAYSIA CELEBES K losses fighters.
We Mi. 500 masses PHILIPPINES rifles, launchers.
Pacitic been
casualties.
Ocean WEST gle?
IRIAN Catholicism seen 150,000 They know Timor. struggle?
Last year our forces captured don't, They explain at great length the self organisation of the people in the areas controlled by Fretlin high morale selfof our guerilla point out that fighters have a high commitment to victory, speedy movement and always protect the communication lines between the command and the armed cells. Their approach to the war is a typical colonialist one - they have carried out mass murder, mass bomb ings, rape and torture.
only two members of our Central Committee survived after the Indonesian bombings of our country between 1978-79. We also suffered hear!
among our resistance This of course meant that it was impossible to prevent some people from returning to the Indonesian controlled areas, where they were free from the threat of bombing raids.
responded by sending political cadres into the Indone. sian controlled areas to organise the population.
In 1982 we launched a big counter-offensive. We captured of Indonesian militar equipment, including automatio heavy artillery and rocke To date there have 25,000 Indonesian What is the importance of inter. national support for your strug The Indonesians' campaign is a genocidal one. They have killed tens of thousands of our people. Now they are preparing another big offensive. They are trying 1o get this issues out of the United
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struggle ABILIO ARAUJO (AL/M