Sir, - The Catholic bishops are quoted in your columns (December 10th) as saying that Ireland should work to "stop the supply of arms from EU countries to Indonesia which are used as instruments of oppression in East Timor." Dick Spring has already affirmed that we "should, and will, do more to assist the suffering people of East Timor."
Yet it is barely three weeks since Pat Rabbitte, Minister for Commerce, Science and Technology, proudly announced the collaboration of British Aerospace Airbus with UCG and ROM Plastics (of Glenamaddy and Rosmuc, Co Galway) in the development of new plastics for aircraft.
What guarantee can Mr Rabbitte give the East Timorese that the aircraft will not be those warplanes on sale by British Aerospace to the Indonesian Government? What guarantee can Professor Michael D. Higgins give the Gaeltacht workers of Rosmuc that they are not now to be an unwitting part of the international military-industrial complex? What guarantee can UCG give its scientists that their academic research is not to be applied to the opposition and murder of the men, women and children of East Timor? - Yours, etc.,
Gort Roe, Corrandulla, Co Galway.