East Timor: Western Aid Fuels Tragedy

by Simone Hoedel
(written and published October, 1993 in the Voice newspaper)

East Timor has been called Indonesia's killing fields.

International human rights organizations have reported that since Indonesia's invasion of the small island just off Australia's north coast in 1975, more than 200,000 people have been killed in a brutal campaign of oppression and counterinsurgency.

Li-Lien Gibbons of the East Timor Alert Network spoke at Langara last week in a talk sponsored by the Peace and Conflict Studies program.

Li-Lien's step-brother, Kamal, was one of 273 people killed by the Indonesian military in a massacre which followed a peaceful demonstration in Dili, East Timor, almost two years ago. This incident brought the world's attention to the plight of the Timorese people and finally forced western governments, including Canada, to examine their trade and aid based relationships to Indonesia.

"East Timor has largely been an issue that has been covered up not just by Indonesia, but also by the West," said Li-Lien. Western countries, including, Canada, have courted the Indonesian government for access to East Timor's resources, including oil, minerals and labor, and have supported the Suharto dictatorship through weapons sales and the training of the Indonesian military.

But in a complete policy reversal, and following U.S. lead, Canada in March supported a U.N. resolution which condemns human rights violations in East Timor.

A spokesperson at the Indonesian Consulate, when asked by the Voice if the U.N. condemnation had affected their aid and trade relationships to other countries, had no comment.

This year the Indonesian regime is Canada's second largest recipient of bilateral (government to government) aid. "Since 1985, Canada has been giving $45 to $75 million annually to Indonesia," said Li-Lien. Last year, according to CIDA, the aid package was worth $41 million.

Although Canada has recently made attempts to tie aid to human rights, the presence of Canadian investment in Indonesia makes the government reluctant to threaten their economic relationship with that government. More than 300 Canadian companies currently operate in Indonesia, including Lavelin, Gulf Canada, Bata Shoes, and Inco. B.C. alone exported nearly $75 million worth of products to Indonesia in 1992, according to a spokesperson at B.C. Trade and Development Corporation. In the last six years, B.C.'s exports to Indonesia have nearly doubled.

"The tragedy of East Timor is essentially a Western made tragedy," said Li-Lien.