Radio Australia

East Timorese leader draws attention to plight of refugees

East Timorese Leader, Xanana Gusmao, says he hopes the acts of terrorism in the United States last month don’t make people insensitive to the plight of refugees.

Mr Gusmao was speaking during an unofficial visit to Australia to launch Austcare’s Refugee Week.

He says people have only to watch their television screen to see the suffering of tens-of-thousands of Afghani refugees, and there are many others suffering in other countries around the world.

Pictures of Afghan people, Afghan children, with a, in very bad conditions of health. Besides the problem of going to the root causes, the people that are suffering need assistance.

(7/10/01, 09:10:40 AEST)

See also:

BD: The Current World Crisis - A collection of statements on the recent terrorist attacks in the US and the subsequent 'war on terrorism'

BD: Recent news re Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão