(no subject)
Interesting article found through Common Dreams today: US owes restitution to East Timor
The point being made by the columnist (who's reporting on a report handed to the UN by a Timorese commission of enquiry) is that the Indonesian invasion of East Timor quite literally would not have occurred without at least a tacit agreement from the USA. It is worth pointing out that Australia also bears some of the blame for the subsequent events. The Indonesian government under Suharto attacked Timor only after receiving an okay from President Ford and Secretary of State Kissinger, and with the tacit acceptance and encouragement of the Whitlam Labour government. It is a(nother) black mark on Australia's human rights record that we did not speak up, or speak out publicly about the abuses happening in Timor.
Meanwhile, I'm accumulating options for my own personal equivalent of "Common Dreams" - something with an Asia-Pacific flavour, maybe, and a possible focus on Australia. A way of looking at the news I'm not likely to see at home. If you've any suggestions, pass them on.
So let's start with The Asia Times Online and Asia Pacific News Net
The point being made by the columnist (who's reporting on a report handed to the UN by a Timorese commission of enquiry) is that the Indonesian invasion of East Timor quite literally would not have occurred without at least a tacit agreement from the USA. It is worth pointing out that Australia also bears some of the blame for the subsequent events. The Indonesian government under Suharto attacked Timor only after receiving an okay from President Ford and Secretary of State Kissinger, and with the tacit acceptance and encouragement of the Whitlam Labour government. It is a(nother) black mark on Australia's human rights record that we did not speak up, or speak out publicly about the abuses happening in Timor.
Meanwhile, I'm accumulating options for my own personal equivalent of "Common Dreams" - something with an Asia-Pacific flavour, maybe, and a possible focus on Australia. A way of looking at the news I'm not likely to see at home. If you've any suggestions, pass them on.
So let's start with The Asia Times Online and Asia Pacific News Net