The struggle in Timor by the libera tion movement Fretilin against the invading Indonesian forces is having an even bigger effect than Vietnam on the Australian working class. This is understandable. Timor is not verv fai from Australia, and the Australian working class has a long history of anti-imperialist solidarity. It was particularly active in support of the struggle of the Indonesian masses against Dutch imperialism in the late 1940s, with Australian seamen even helping to arm the Indonesian freedom fighters.
Australia is central to the calculations of the present Indonesian military regime in Timor. Although Whitlam was quite clearly complicit in the invasion or monastvear. me inconesian Government and its US backers were clearly worried about the impact inside the Labour Party of this issue; so they waited until Whitlam was removed from The Fraser Government carried on me connivance win me ownarto reg ime. In January it went so far as to close down the only direct radio link with Fretilin in Darwin, thus sabotaging the visit of a UN observer to observe the events in East Timor.
It was partly as a result of this action that the trade union movement imposed a total boycott on the Indonesian reg ime. This includes exports like meat, parts for aircraft and also a complete ban on cable and postal links. The ban was initially imposed by rank and file action and has subsequently been made general by the Australian Confederation of Trade Unions.
one internamonast consciousnes of the working class in Australia had already been dramatically highlighted by their action against involvement in the Indochina War. It was the blacking union component in the anti-war mobilisations that compelled the Whitlam Government to withdraw all troops, end aid to the Saigon regime, and release all draft obiectors from prison The campaign in solidarity with East Timor is planning the same sort of action, including a total stoppage of work at some stage. Victory for Fretilin in East Timor is assured if the example of the Australian trade unions can be followed worldwide.