EAST TIMOR
May / June , 2006
Well , here we go again , Australian led forces are back in East Timor to restore stability . The problems which led to this situation were foreseeable and preventable . East Timor , the UN and Australia could have done more but , to the credit of all concerned , troops are on the ground now , without waiting for all of the diplomatic niceties . This has saved many lives .
We are not going to let them down for the third time . The world owes East Timor a fair go .
CLICK HERE to send a email to the Minister responsible for sending these souls back to Timor .
Today , 3 June the Minister has announced that he HAS intervened in 397 cases and looking at another 200 . Please keep the emails coming .
( Click here for details )
Now , some in australia attempting to take oil and gas revenues from East Timor .
This is the page from our old site that we most wanted to get back . It contained an almost daily commentary on the tumultuous events which led to the founding of East Timor , the worlds newest country .
Timor is an island halfway between Indonesia and Australia . Originally part of the Dutch East Indies ( West Timor ) . East Timor was a Portuguese colony , along with a small enclave in the west .
The Portuguese government granted Timor it's independence . In late 1975 the then Indonesian government annexed the country . The United States militarily assisted the Indonesians in this annexation . This action was illegal but the World and Australian governments of both political persuasions ignored the wishes of the Timorese . Australian culpability was increased by the debt owed from World War II . Thousands of Timorese were killed by the Japanese for aiding the allies .
It is worth noting that a very similar situation exists today in West New Guinea .
In the mid 1970's several Australian based organisations were established to support the separatist movement .
On 30 August , 1999 an U.N. conducted election was held and the Timorese voted for independence ( by a small margin of 98.6 per cent ! ) . Afterwards Militias , armed , trained and directed by parts of the Indonesian military establishment razed the country . It is understood that over 100,000 were driven west into the hills and on to West Timor . Some of these refugees are still to return . This murderous period occurred when the U.N. was supposed to be securing the peace .
Later in the year Australia organised and initially led a U.N. force to establish order and start the rebuilding process .
Today elections are underway in Timor . The country has been partially rebuilt , Australia has made a significant contribution to this process .
One contentious issue is the Timor Gap Treaty , which concerns the ownership and exploitation of natural gas fields which lie under the Timor Sea .
Australia could provide further assistance by providing additional medical and educational facilities in Darwin , both for the use of locals and the residents of the islands to our immediate north .
Many charities operate in Timor , some of whom are listed below .
There have been two changes of government in Indonesia since the events outlined above occurred and there appears to be growing support for a War Crimes Tribunal .
At the time this page was attacked as being one sided , we do not feel that this is true . We are not " anti " Indonesian , any Australian who is is a fool .
Finally ( mid March , 2002 ) the Indonesian Government has acted and put several former officials on trial , including the former Governor . Interestingly , at the same time , they have thrown out another Australian journalist .
Soon , ( 20 May , 2002 ) , East Timor will become the world's newest self governing nation .
FURTHER INFORMATION
Welcome to East Timor : Transitional Administration
International Federation for East Timor
East Timor Action Network / US
Amnesty International: East Timor Crisis
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
CHARITIES
Community Aid Abroad: East Timor
There is a report that a boat , owned by Kerry Packer , was in Dilli and jettisoned its dairy cargo to save several hundred , mostly Chinese , people on the first day of militia attacks.
The Timorese are unique in the way they have forgiven their transgressors .
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( Plus a few hundred from our previous site
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