Internet Edition Issue 4, June 2004

Editorial: 'Love on another...'Do not be afraid...'

Viewpoint: "The Mass, the ultimate Christian Prayer"

Frequent Flyer Mission

Caritas Kimberley - Managing Diabetes at Warmun

From the Office of Justice, Ecology & Peace

KCP Magazine

From the office of Justice, Ecology & Peace

By Br Shane Wood cfc

Some publicity has been given recently to the plight of the East Timorese in their struggle to become economically independent. The current problem seems to be closely tied to the lack of success of negotiations with the Australian Government over the maritime boundaries between our two nations and the implications this has for the ownership of royalties from the rich oil and gas deposits that are found in the area known as the Timor Gap.

More than one group of concerned Australian citizens have put pen to paper and written to the Prime Minister, Mr Howard, and the Foreign Minister, Mr Downer, to express their disappointment with the behaviour of the Australian Government in this matter. In a recent television appearance, Mr Downer mentioned that the East Timorese ought be grateful to Australia for all that we had done for them, and should not be seeking special consideration on this issue. I was intrigued with the thought of ‘all that we had done'. What did we do during the period between 1975 and 1999? We sat on our hands and allowed Indonesia to annex the country and thereafter perpetrate innumerable acts of violence and repression. What have we done since?

We have assisted in restoration of peace and law and order (after ignoring warnings that violence would erupt following the referendum in favour of independence). At the same time we have continued to allow mining in the disputed areas of the Timor Sea while taking whatever royalties we can into consolidated revenue. And for all this, Mr Downer expects the East Timorese to be grateful?

The Leadership Team of the Christian Brothers in Victoria asked in their letter to Mr Howard and Mr Downer that the Australian government:

Reconsider its obligations to East Timor, our neighbour, on grounds of justice and fairness [and].... provide more than fair terms in the current dispute over maritime boundaries, to assist the new nation to be self-sufficient and prosperous, to share our good fortune.

These should include:

•   Rejoining the maritime boundary dispute resolution mechanisms of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea and the International Court of Justice.

•   Negotiating a more than fair (to East Timor) maritime boundary, including seabed and water economic zones, with East Timor, according to the principles as set out in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

•   Expediting these current negotiations, and refraining from issuing exploration licences until these negotiations are finalised.

We could do well to consider joining in this campaign for justice for our nearest neighbour in need.

^ top