As Ireland will preside over the Intergovernmental Conference in 1996 it will afford us an ideal opportunity, as we have done in the past, to voice the concerns of small nations on the matter of East Timor. The people who set up the East Timor Support Group, comprised of unemployed persons in the Dublin area, are to be commended on having brought this matter to our attention yet again in such a tangible manner. Although our people are concerned about East Timor, it is a matter warranting the attention of the European Union just as much as, say, Martinique or Guadeloupe. It is the belief of the United Nations that Portugal should be the administering authority in East Timor. Yet, the behaviour of Indonesia in East Timor has been met simply by a series of nods and winks without any action being taken.
Approximately 200,000 East Timorese people have been killed for no known reason by the Indonesian Government, yet we stand by. In reply to a parliamentary question I tabled in the House a few weeks ago, I ascertained that our trade with East Timor had increased enormously, from an approximate £16.5 million in 1989 to approximately £42.5 million in 1993. When we investigate how change was wrought in other parts of the world where there were serious breaches of human rights, we discover that we sought sanctions, which were the main reason for the huge changes that have taken place, for example, in South Africa. Indeed our people are very proud of the various actions they took in regard to South Africa. We could be equally proud if we brought about the cessation of the genocide in East Timor by the Indonesian Government. At the same time, member states of the European Union, for example, France, still supply helicopters to Indonesia for use in East Timor. England has a huge trade in arms with the Indonesian Government and Australia has an appalling record, well documented, in collaborating with the Indonesian Government in relation to East Timor. I understand the Australians are about to give something of the order of £100 million in arms to the Indonesian Government to maintain the status quo in East Timor.
Our people and Government cannot allow the circumstances in East Timor to continue, all in the interests of oil rather than the development of a country, akin to the position in Kuwait before the Gulf War, which is frightening. If East Timor did not have such vast quantities of oil off its coastline, the Australian Government would not be as supportive as they are of the Indonesian Government. They know what is taking place in East Timor, as many of its citizens — and multi-national companies — are located there.
We must take a stand on this matter because our trade with East Timor is enormous and growing. While it may not be economically beneficial for us to take a stand against the Indonesian, French, English or Australian Governments, we must do so. We must not participate in any agreements with these countries, we must state that what they are doing is wrong and take a lead from the people who brought this matter to our attention so tangibly in recent months.
I implore the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and his Minister of State, Deputy Gay Mitchell, to raise these issues, thereby giving solace not only to our people but to those of East Timor, doing what we have done over many generations, being the voice of nations without one.