Devel-L: Fw: Please call for East Timor today

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Phone Your Representative and Senators Immediately to Unblock Relief Shipments to East Timor and to Support HR 2809 and S.1568

The situation of the refugees in East Timor is dire. According to the = U.N. Food and Agricultural Organization, about 200,000 East Timorese are at = risk of starvation if they do not immediately receive relief supplies. But = the Indonesian military (TNI) is not cooperating. The TNI is effectively blocking Australian efforts to drop relief packages (see article below).

As part of your calls to your Congressional Representative and Senators = to garner support for HR 2809 and S.1568 (see the Urgent Action of = September 15), urge Congress and the Senate to work to put immediate pressure on Jakarta to stop the blocking of the relief airdrops.

The congressional switchboard number is 202-224-3121 or check www.congress.gov or www.visi.com/juan/congress/ for additional contact = information. =20 Apologies to non-U.S. recipients. Please call your local East Timor = action group and ask how you can help.

For more information, contact Karen Orenstein at 202-544-6911 or mailto:etanko@igc.org.

=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D

SYDNEY, Sept 16 (AFP) - Australian Prime Minister John Howard said aid drops into East Timor were not likely to go ahead Thursday because the safety of the planes could not be assured.

Howard told Channel Nine television Australia had yet to get an = Indonesian military guarantee they would not shoot down the planes carrying much-needed aid.

He said difficulties were being experienced because there were no clear lines of command in Indonesia.

"We had hoped today," Howard said. "The prospect of that, I was told a = few for more minutes ago, are not all that bright because we're still having trouble getting certain assurances from the Indonesian military = authorities.

"We can't take the risk of the planes being shot down because they're needed for other things but we want to get the aid in as soon as = possible.

"Now we're working on that over time. We've got the approval of the Indonesian minister but we haven't got the approval of the Indonesian military."

"Under the United Nations resolution, one of the tasks of the force is = to facilitate the provision of humanitarian assistance," Howard said.

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----- Original Message -----=20

From: Dr = Alan=20 Cheney

To: ARodrig858@aol.com ; arnomd@online.no ; arnoldrubin@igc.org ; arnes002@maroon.tc.umn.edu ; armsa@uchastings.edu ; armele@laneta.apc.org ; arlepe@hotmail.com=20 ; arivera@gdl.cinvestav.mx ; ariffin@usm.my = ; Ariff_Hajee@together.org ; arielf@cyberus.ca ;=20 ariany@cantv.net ;=20 arianna@atasite.org ; arena@hk.net ; ardillahunt@igc.org ; arcoredes@laneta.apc.org ; arcoiris@alsernet.es ; arcla@envirolink.org ; arc@igc.apc.org ; aranch@sjm.infi.net ; araguaia@ax.apc.org ; arabny@doleh.com ; aquiroz@cecusac.gdl.iteso.mx ; = aqs85905@jetson.uh.edu ; aq@ed.ac.uk ; APTI@compuserve.com ; apsari@socrates.berkeley.edu ; = appasec@tm.net.my ;=20 aposada@col1.telecom.com.co ; apoirier@igc.org ; apmmf@HK.Super.NET=20 ; aplyer@igc.org ; apjpyama@blue.ocn.ne.jp ; apis@laneta.apc.org ; apgro@mail.dntiasi.ro ; apeters@osi-dc.org=20 ; apersyko@labornet.org ; apen@igc.org ; apen@igc.apc.org ; apecforum-l@netserver.web.net = ; apdhe@cibeles.com ;=20 apcjp@igc.apc.org=20 ; apalmer@uic.edu ;=20 ap888@lafn.org ; AP2250@aol.com = ; aoneill@alum.calberkeley.org ; = aochoa@ggnpa.org ; anzar@ne-con.co.jp=20 ; anwar.fazal@undp.org

Sent: Friday, September 17, 1999 9:15 AM

Subject: Please call for East Timor today

Very Urgent Action Alert
September 16,=20 1999

Phone Your Representative and Senators Immediately to = Unblock=20 Relief
Shipments to East Timor and to Support HR 2809 and=20 S.1568

The situation of the refugees in East Timor is dire. = According=20 to the U.N.
Food and Agricultural Organization, about 200,000 East = Timorese=20 are at risk
of starvation if they do not immediately receive relief = supplies.=20 But the
Indonesian military (TNI) is not cooperating. The TNI is=20 effectively
blocking Australian efforts to drop relief packages (see = article=20 below).

As part of your calls to your Congressional = Representative and=20 Senators to
garner support for HR 2809 and S.1568 (see the Urgent = Action of=20 September
15), urge Congress and the Senate to work to put immediate = pressure=20 on
Jakarta to stop the blocking of the relief airdrops.

The=20 congressional switchboard number is 202-224-3121 or check
www.congress.gov or www.visi.com/juan/congress/ for=20 additional contact information.

Apologies to non-U.S. recipients. Please = call your=20 local East Timor action group and ask how you can help.

For more=20 information, contact Karen Orenstein at 202-544-6911 or
etanko@igc.org.

=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D

East=20 Timor relief drops delayed by Indonesian military: PM

SYDNEY, = Sept 16=20 (AFP) - Australian Prime Minister John Howard said aid
drops into = East Timor=20 were not likely to go ahead Thursday because the
safety of the planes = could=20 not be assured.

Howard told Channel Nine television Australia had = yet to=20 get an Indonesian
military guarantee they would not shoot down the = planes=20 carrying
much-needed aid.

He said difficulties were being = experienced=20 because there were no clear
lines of command in Indonesia.

"We = had=20 hoped today," Howard said. "The prospect of that, I was told a = few
for more=20 minutes ago, are not all that bright because we're still = having
trouble=20 getting certain assurances from the Indonesian military = authorities.

"We=20 can't take the risk of the planes being shot down because = they're
needed for=20 other things but we want to get the aid in as soon as = possible.

"Now=20 we're working on that over time. We've got the approval of = the
Indonesian=20 minister but we haven't got the approval of the=20 Indonesian
military."

Australian troops will help deliver the = aid once=20 it arrives on the ground.

"Under the United Nations resolution, = one of=20 the tasks of the force is to
facilitate the provision of humanitarian = assistance," Howard=20 said.

END