Sir, - Despite a terror campaign organised by Indonesia to intimidate the people of East Timor, they voted overwhelmingly for independence from their oppressors. However, the murder and intimidation continues as the Indonesian police and army stand by. Bill Clinton and Robin Cook have called for the Indonesian government and its military to curtail militia gangs and protect the population and UN personnel from violence. This is rather like demanding that the wolves protect the lambs!
The British government is in serious trouble here. It can hardly condemn the Indonesian government - and far less its military - considering that it has just agreed to sell them some more Hawk "trainer" jets and has invited them to visit an arms fair. Yet the whole world could see Indonesian soldiers and police fraternising with the militia terrorists on television.
No doubt the Labour government spin-doctors will come up with something to allow business with Indonesia to be maintained, and progress towards the new world order to continue.
The US must also be in a bit of difficulty following the vote for independence. After all, it did acquiesce in the invasion of East Timor in 1975. In fact, according to a recent television programme on the Cold War, the Indonesian military was obliging enough to defer the invasion for a day at the request of American officials so that the visiting US President could be away from Indonesia before the invasion took place.
The US and British governments have now welcomed the outcome of the vote in East Timor. However, they have resisted a plea from pro-independence leaders for UN intervention to stop the murder, rape and burning of people's homes. The US and Britain again are just calling on the Indonesian government to "restore order". The people of East Timor are just unlucky they weren't born in Kosovo. If they were, Blair, Clinton and NATO leaders would be threatening air strikes and demanding that the president and military leaders of the oppressor country be indicted as war criminals.
Of course, because they can see the "wider picture" of NATO's expanded role and the New World Order, the British and US leaders can no doubt justify being hypocrites. Maybe part of the "bigger picture" strategy is to get a UN force into East Timor "with NATO at its core". - Yours, etc.,
Brian Abbott, Glencairn, Bishopstown Road, Cork.