Sir, - I fully endorse the sentiments of both Sr Barbara Raftery and Goal's John O'Shea (April 11th) on the famine in Indonesia and East Timor. What is needed is an aid package for Indonesia and East Timor that directly addresses the needs of the people. The most effective way would be for assistance to be directly channelled to the NGOs which operate on the ground.
In reporting the economic crisis affecting Indonesia, not nearly enough attention has been paid to the suffering of the people of Indonesia, East Timor and West Papua. Added to this are the thousands of pro-democracy activists who have been detained by Suharto's military, a fact that seems to have escaped the scrutiny of the international community.
Readers should remember that Suharto and his family have amassed a personal fortune of over $40 billion, roughly equivalent to the aid package promised by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
If the IMF is to lend Indonesia billions to bail out Suharto, surely this should be tied to an improvement in the well-being of the millions bearing the brunt of the economic crisis - and conditional on Suharto's regime meeting its international obligations - especially concerning its 22-yearlong illegal occupation of East Timor. - Yours, etc.,
Tom Hyland
East Timor Ireland Solidarity Campaign, Dame Street, Dublin 2.