Australia had been one of the largest contributors of military personnel to Timor-Leste aka East Timor. What exactly is her agenda?
The founding of Timor-Leste is a heart-wrenching affair, with the most notable one being the invasion by Indonesia. You would have thought the official independence of Timor-Leste spells peace and prosperity. You would also have thought Timor-Leste found herself a superb savior in Australia. Sadly, the reality is far from that.
I read recently an article published in The Australian and the title screamed: East Timor plan lacks action and credibility. The article revealed that some individuals figured that Australia should have been tougher on Timor-Leste to push across her plans. It is precisely this sort of aggressive targeting and exploitation of so-called neighbours that infuriates me. Don't ask me why I have decided to re-title (as per this post) to what it really should had been. It's too obvious.
Following the invasion by Indonesia, Australia opted to negotiate the maritime border with Indonesia without any input by the Timorese citizens. It didn't stop at that. On several occasions prior to 1998 when Indonesia finally gave up Timor-Leste, Australia had repeatedly expressed her support as 'her wish for East Timor to remain under Indonesian administration' even in times of 1991's post-massacre turmoil. Australia stood by and did nothing.
To track Timor-Australia relationship even further back into World War 2, Timor-Leste was the shield for Australia against the Japanese attacks. Many Timorese shed blood in a war defending Australia that was not even theirs to begin with. In that sense, Australia owes Timor-Leste a debt of blood. Yet, how grateful is Australia really?
Australia is a country that prides herself for democracy and human rights. At least, that's what most Australians would like you to believe. For one thing, Australia has often spoken out and condemned Singapore (and much other countries) in many aspects and our internal policies. Australia almighty? Hardly.
Reality tells us Australia is no different from any other colonial powerhouses or countries that are frequently criticized for human rights violation. The ugly truth of how Australian aborigines had been treated over the decades is a clear example of such disparity in empty declarations and subsequent attitudes/actions. If one's own native citizens are being side-lined, what more can we say about vulnerable population in a country next door?
I have always wondered about Australia's 'special interest' in Timor-Leste over the past decade. I love doing my own informal research, reading up on news, reviews and independent opinions. As I dug deeper into the pit, the Timor-Australia relationship began to present a mental picture. Indeed, whatever human rights Australia advocated is too good to be true.
Woodside Petroleum, an Australian company, is heavily involved in negotiations with Timor-Leste Government. If there wasn't an oil and natural gas interest in Timor-Leste, would Australia Government have paid this much attention to this new democracy that is still stuck in poverty?
It beckoned the next question; is this a peace-keeping mission or is it an invasion? I think an invasion is more like it.
What audacity is that to tell the United Nations to 'mind your own business because we are good enough'? It spoke of only one word - arrogance.
Furthermore, Australia withdrew herself from the World Court's jurisdiction and refused arbitration when dealing with Timor-Leste back then to justify acting outside any official mandate. Australia's self-serving agenda is evident when a complaint was filed with International Court of Justice (ICJ) when handling the issue with regards to Japan's whaling activities. See the hypocrisy?
I'm already beginning to think that Australia has a larger overall authority than the United Nations itself. It is this sort of incident, along with the illegal Iraq invasion, that hints the world of United Nations toothless-ness.
When you start to link the dots together, you will realize that Timor-Leste was not only invaded once but twice. First, by the Indonesians. Second, by the Australians. The Timorese people are still losing out at the end of the day. While it is rightful to wave away suspicious agendas by saying it as a survival of the fittest, it is downright disgraceful to act as everything Australia had criticized others over the years.
China, now, is also interested in Timor-Leste vast natural resources.
12 November marks the anniversary of those innocent lives lost during the Santa Cruz (Dili) massacre and on that exact day, I am due for my next blood donation. Between the two outpouring of blood, one spoke of despair while the later, it might save somebody's life. Let this be a remembrance of our humanity.
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3 comments:
Thank you for standing up and saying like it is Ed. As I listen to all the rhetorics on the part of the world I am living now (the west) why a certain countries require liberation to promote democracy and human rights etc, I have came to the conclusion that all intents, I said all, are not noble. Although I don't condone what China or North Korea did to their own citizens, when it comes to policy making, I am inclined to stand in the shoes of these countries and ask the west, "Who are you to interfere with what is right and what is not right for me?"
When people asked me "where is your next destination after the UK? What about Australia?" Without hesitation, I would say I want to come back to South East Asia, there is no way I would consider Australia.
Hi JoV, welcome back.
I think we haven't really shake off that colonizing mentality which could explain all these events. I have always found it ludicrous for the kind of situation you shared. Internal politics are best left to the people involved in it, not foreigners. That Thailand riots is a classic example. Look at how many western participants are joining in to meddle with their internal affairs.
But, the bottomline is that all countries have a dark side to them. Like you said, not all intents are noble. Australia, for one, has been living in eternal denial it seemed. Anything about racism or colonial attitudes, they tend to get overly defensive while yet accusing others of the same. It's often hard to look at ourselves in the mirrors sometimes.
As an Asian, we need to know our worth. We are intelligent, we are hardworking, and we persevere. We should know what we are doing, we shouldn't allow any other to tell us what to do. It is sad to see some would submit their authority willing to foreign power to influence their decision (e.g. South Korean and many...) I think the recent Wikileak debacle gives us the transparency that we long waited for.
Thanks for the reply Ed.
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