The 23nd International Congress of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, 23 – 29 July, 1986 in Zeist, the Netherlands:

(from Resolution on Right of all Indigenous Peoples to own and control both their land(s) and their lives, adopted at 23rd Congress,1986)

The Twenty-Third International Congress of WILPF, meeting at Zeist, the Netherlands, 23-29 July 1986,

Recognizing the right of the East Timor people to independence, as affirmed at the 1983 Congress  (and 1984 and 1985 meetings of the International Executive Committee), and their right to be included in the present discussions between the United Nations Secretary-General and the Portuguese and Indonesian Governments,

Believing that the United Nations is the only and the appropriate body to reverse non-violently the military invasion and take-over of East Timor by Indonesia in 1975, and

Knowing the efforts of Indonesia of having the issues of East Timor dropped from the United Nations General Assembly agenda, as the issue of their violation of human rights in East Timor was dropped from the agenda of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights,

Urges WILPF International Executive Committee to persuade all United Nations Member States, and WILPF sections to request their own governments, to vote to retain the issue of East Timor on the United Nations General Assembly agenda in 1986 — particularly as 1986 is UN International Year of Peace; and to

Urge that genuine representatives of the East Timorese are included in the present discussions of the United Nations Secretary-General as above.