Tuesday, 7th September, 1999

In separate letters today, the NSW Council of Churches has called on Prime Minister John Howard and Foreign Affairs Minister, Alexander Downer to press, in the strongest of terms, for an immediate unequivocal intervention by the United Nations Security Council in East Timor by dispatching armed peace keeping forces to the strife-torn province.

Council President, Mr Ray Hoekzema said late today. "The horrendous slaughter of innocent men, women and children must stop and at tomorrow's meeting of Foreign Affairs Ministers in New Zealand, Australia must not leave the conference table without a guaranteed assurance that the UN will immediately act.

"The NSW Council of Churches appreciates that the Australian Army has no mandate to invade East Timor in an effort to put down the violence without the cover of the United Nations but as US Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright, and the Foreign Ministers from Britain, Canada, Australia, Malaysia, Thailand and other near neighbours meet tomorrow, no decision other than the deployment of troops is acceptable.

From what our sources in East Timor advise, the churches are not satisfied that the declaration of Martial Law by the Indonesian Government will achieve peace.

The rebel militia forces have already repeatedly shown they have no regard for churches, hospitals, or designated UN territory by continually firing on these compounds."

"Operation Total Cleansing is now well advanced and events today have clearly shown that no one is exempt from the savagery - diplomat, UN official, medical staff or members of the Church.

"Until now, there has been no thought for the sanctity of life. The mass evacuation and mass murder campaign of terror by the Indonesian Army-backed militias has displaced thousands and killed hundreds of people."

"No one can deny that this is a military campaign and without immediate action by the United Nations, the blood bath will continue unabated."

"We believe that the IMF should place an immediate halt on the economic bailout of the Indonesian Government until an assurance is given that the murder has ceased," Mr Hoekzema said.

NSW Council of Churches
Representing

• The Anglican Church (Diocese of Sydney)
• Baptist
• Churches of Christ
• Presbyterian
• Fellowship of Congregational Churches
• The Salvation Army
• The Reformed Churches