Solidarity group urges Government to reflect extent of public outrage

The East Timor Ireland Solidarity Campaign has accused the Government of "lacking initiative" on the current crisis, saying its response to the continuing Indonesian military violence "fails to reflect the strength of feeling of the Irish public".

The campaign co-ordinator, Mr Tom Hyland, said he was particularly disappointed at the Taoiseach's decision to write to President Clinton rather than phone him to express Ireland's concern about the issue.

"We call on the Taoiseach to lift the phone and ring Clinton because that is the way business is done in crisis situations," he said. "It seems there is a lack of urgency in the Government which is out of line with the public outrage." A Government spokesman confirmed Mr Ahern had written to Mr Clinton yesterday outlining "the need for immediate action by the international community" and urging the US to put maximum pressure on Indonesia to accept an international peacekeeping force. Similar letters had been sent to the UN Secretary General, Mr Kofi Annan, and the Australian Prime Minister, Mr John Howard.

Mr Hyland said he hoped the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Andrews, would use his position at the EU Council of Ministers meeting on Monday to "produce concrete actions and not statements of concern".

The Labour Party leader, Mr Ruairi Quinn, backed the call for Ireland to take a lead in calling for immediate sanctions against Indonesia.

"Our Taoiseach is on friendly terms with both the British Prime Minister and the US President. He should contact them immediately indicating Irish support for sanctions," he said. Mr Andrews has yet to declare public support for sanctions. However, a spokeswoman for the Minister said it was "probable" the issue would be raised at Monday's EU Council meeting.

Meanwhile, public outrage continues to grow with further calls for economic sanctions against Indonesia and a mass boycott of Indonesian goods and services.

The trade union SIPTU said it backed the call of the International Transport Workers' Federation for wider protests worldwide against air and sea traffic to and from Indonesia following the refusal of Australian dockers to handle Indonesian goods.

SIPTU also urged all Irish people to consider "direct action they may be able to take, as consumers, in the face of inaction by the UN and its main signatories". Sports and fashion wear, running shoes and toys are among the products imported from the country.

The campaign is holding a demonstration at 1 p.m. tomorrow outside the US embassy which, along with the British and Australian embassies, has been bombarded with phone calls, faxes and letters from concerned citizens.

Also backing the call for the immediate deployment of a peacekeeping force is a group of 13 academics from Ireland, Europe and the US which has written to Mr Annan highlighting the legal basis of any intervention. Mr Ray Murphy, a law lecturer at UCG, stressed the Indonesian occupation of East Timor was illegal under international law and never recognised by the UN. Under Chapter Seven of the UN Charter, he noted, the Security Council could sanction military intervention to prevent a humanitarian crisis such as has developed in East Timor.