| Subject: ABC: ETse Community Calls for Aust Gov't
compassion Date: Fri, 04 Jun 1999 17:42:00 -0400 From: "Sharon R.A. Scharfe" <pet@web.net> Australian Broadcasting Corporation Thursday 3 June, 1999 Community leader calls for Govt compassion for E Timorese An East Timorese community leader in Brisbane is urging the Federal Government to offer temporary asylum to political and community members who fear for their lives in East Timor. Joe Teixeira says there is still a lack of support from the Government for those in Indonesia, although it is taking a strong approach to Kosovo. He says prominent church and community leaders have received death threats and need to be offered safe asylum until the vote in August to determine if East Timor will remain a part of Indonesia or become independent. "They've certainly done it with the people in Kosovo, and so they should wherever people need that sort of asylum because of strife in their homeland. "Certainly this is on our doorstep, this isn't in the Balkans, this is here next door to Australia," he said. "So I'm urging the Australian Government to be more compassionate and humanitarium in their outlook." © 1999 Australian Broadcasting Corporation Back to June Menu |