Source: TAPOL. Date: 7 Dec 90. Story Type: News. Original
Language: English. Dateline: London. Byline: None. Text: Full.
Brief Remark: Forwarded for posting by gn:tapol. Details to
follow later.
UNPRECEDENTED TIMORESE DEMONSTRATION IN LISBON
Some three hundred East Timorese refugees in Lisbon demonstrated
today outside the Portuguese Parliament and presented a document
of demands to senior members of Parliament about Portugal's policy
toward East Timor's struggle for independence. Most of those
demonstrating were younger generation Timorese who have left East
Timor in the last few years, having had experience of living under
Indonesian rule. The demonstration was well organised, with a
team of folk dancers to brighten the occasion. A delegation of
East Timorese also went to the home of the Portuguese Prime
Minister, Cavaco Silva and were received by a senior aide of the
Prime Minister.
This is the first time since the Indonesian invasion on 7
December 1975 that East Timorese in Portugal have organised a
demonstration. The two East Timorese parties in Portugal,
Fretilin and UDT, have never encouraged the holding of
demonstrations and refused to support today's event.
The demonstration was well covered by the Portuguese print,
radio and television media and had wide support among the large
East Timorese refugee community in Portugal.