Indonesia sets East Timor free - but much work remains.

On 30 August 78.5% of voters in East Timor chose independence on a 99% turnout.   Now Indonesia has set them free as its parliament agreed to ratify this overwhelming result.

Although an international force has entered East Timor, the world still needs to help its citizens rebuild their lives after months of terror at the hands of Indonesian-backed militia. Some hundreds of thousands of citizens are still 'internal refugees', fearful to return to their homes while tens of thousands are simple 'unaccounted for'.

In addition, refugees who have been forced to flee to West Timor or other parts of Indonesia should be assisted to safely return to their homes as soon as possible. Indonesia has recently announced that these refugees will be allowed to return, and the numbers allowed to do so seem to be increasing - but pro-integration militias within East Timor are still perpetrating violence.

East Timor needs:

• The safe and rapid return of all refugees to their homes.
• Financial and technical assistance to rebuild its infrastructure, economy and administration.
• The establishment of an independent war crimes tribunal to bring to justice those responsible for gross violations of human rights not only in the last few months but during the 25 years of Indonesian occupation.

This is the website of the East Timor Scotland Support Group, launched in Glasgow on 10^th July as a focus for support of East Timor at this critical time.

The group has now signed up its first members and is working to establish an office in Glasgow. To find out more about the group, click here. If you are interested in joining or have any other enquiries please use the email address below: