East Timor Independence Committee (Auckland) further records

The East Timor Independence Committee Auckland (ETIC) grew out of the Auckland East Timor Solidarity Movement, formed in 1975. By the early 1980s, resistance in East Timor to the Indonesian occupation was at its lowest ebb, and activism in Auckland on its behalf was similarly subdued, partly because supporters were also committed to other activities and organisations.

Helen Yensen became coordinator of the movement in 1982, with the intent to revitalize East Timor activism in Auckland. Through the 1980s, she coordinated lobbying work undertaken by individuals who were mainly involved in other organisations such as church groups, trade unions and peace groups, as well as the occasional hosting of visitors (such as José Ramos-Horta and Agio Pereira). After the 1991 Santa Cruz massacre, and the international attention this garnered, interested people began meeting more regularly throughout the country and in 1992 a national network was formally established (the National East Timor Coalition). Much of the work was coordinated from Auckland, which tended to have a consistent body of interested and able participants. This work consisted of letter writing, submissions to Parliamentary Select Committees, producing the Nettalk newsletter, organising occasional demonstrations and public meetings, hosting East Timorese and other activists in New Zealand, lobbying the United Nations and other governments, visiting schools and community organisations, as well as representing Auckland and New Zealand at relevant conferences. The culmination of ETIC Auckland’s efforts was the APEC conference in 1999, where it was instrumental in facilitating José Ramos-Horta’s presence in Auckland, thus giving him the opportunity to lobby the Heads of State present.