June 2nd, 2006
ubject: How independent East Timor?
Timor is a small country with an area of 15007 sq.km. ( one 5th. of Tasmania ) with a population of some 1,040.000. To put it into respective that represents combined population of Knox, Manningham, Monash, Whitehorse, Kingston, Greater Dandenong and Casey. The country is divided into 13 administrative districts with a National Parliament of 88 seats. Add to it 16 indigenous languages and you have a recipe for disaster. Could such country be really independent?
It seems the major beneficiaries of such independence are the leaders, often self-appointed. They get the spoils of office and power but as far as the rest of the population, their lives change very little if at all. It’s estimated that some 42% of East Timor population live below poverty line. At present we have the stalemate where the country president Gusmao is not exactly on speaking terms with the Prime Minister Alkatiri.
Our politicians tell us that it will require a long haul before our defence and police units can be withdrawn. The cost to taxpayers will run into tens of millions. What will be the benefit to Australia? I suggest our politicians should take a long and hard look before supporting the ambitions of few power seeking individuals for so-called independence. All we are creating the nation of beggars with outstretched hands that will be a burden on Australian taxpayers for years to come. One only has to have a look on Papua and New Guinea as an example.
I think the leaders of Indonesia must be delighted that we have taken over responsibility for a troublesome province. Economically, to support the creation and so-called independence of such pocket states does not make sense. Before we jump on the bandwagon and support those ambitions would-be rulers we should make it clear that independence carries fiscal responsibility. Very often the rulers get at least the pleasure of ruling, the citizens get only a dubious pleasure of being kicked around by fools.
