People of the world WAKE UP!
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EAST TIMOR BACKGROUND NOVO Few people know the background history of East Timor. East Timor was a colony of the Portuguese. Just as most colonies the people were de-culturised. They were given a new identity and a new religion. They were converted to Catholicism (Christian). (That is a very important issue as Indonesia is a predominantly Islamic nation. In 1975, the Portuguese decided to leave East Timor and let it be independent. However, Indonesia invaded and annexed it. Indonesia was led by a communist government after independence from its colonial rulers. The United States did not like this and they removed Dr. Sukarno, the leader of Indonesia and brought the ruthless dictator Suharto to power. By Suharto the country was purged off its leftist elements. Half to a million people were massacred by Suharto regime. (Click here for more details) The night before the invasion of East Timor, President Ford and H. Kissinger were in Indonesia. They asked Gen. Suharto wait until they left Indonesia before he carried out the invasion of East Timor. They did not wish the world to know their covert role in world crisis. The US supplied the Indonesians with the weapons and gave them the necessary training to invade East Timor. In return, the Suharto regime opened up the Indonesian economy (market) to the US. But more importantly, the US got access to the sea routes around East Timor. This was strategically very important to the US as these waters are some of the best for navigation. Besides that it also saves the US ships from having to go around Australia. It is the highway connecting the Pacific to the Indian Ocean; ships can cross from one to the other in a very short time. East Timor also had natural resources that the US wanted. These are the off shore oil deposits of East Timor. The horror of East Timor did not just start yesterday. It started the day Indonesia had invaded East Timor in 1975. The Indonesian Government was brutal in their own nation and also was the same in East Timor. The Indonesians used the leftover napalm bombs from Vietnam in their invasion. They killed many and thousands of women were raped. The Indonesians separated the children from their parents and many were sold in Indonesia as slaves. Some Timorese fought from the mountains but were too insignificant to defend themselves against an army backed by the USA. The USA is not the only guilty party though. Many other nations for commercial reasons sold arms to Indonesia. This continued and continues till this day. The whole world forgot the plight of humanity... as it was being committed by a country backed by the "free world". A low level armed struggle for survival continued. But all was in vain as President Carter helped the Indonesians by supplying more weapons to kill the East Timorese. It reminds one of the genocide in Bangladesh supported by US weapons in which 3 million were killed and 20 million displaced. The United Nation was approached and dutifully they declared that Indonesia had broken the International law. But the human tragedy was grossly overlooked. Moreover what could the UN do without its master the US? The United States big corporations have invested heavily over the decades... big corporations control the US government and were happy with the business in Indonesia and so the US government did not want the situation to change. Nike is a name that comes to mind and the question: How many human lives are worth a pair of Nike shoes? haunts the mind! The numbers killed in East Timor is not a joke. 200,000 people have been murdered. It is about one third the population there. It would be equivalent to about a hundred million dead in the USA. It is a human disaster that brings to mind the holocaust in Germany. But only this time it is more brutal. Just last month the UN finally organized a referendum to determine the future of the status of East Timor. The result was overwhelming! 80% voted for independence. However, the referendum was a big farce as the UN had no plans to back up the results. Hence another round of blood bath erupted. Militias and Indonesian Army has started a blood bath in East Timor. There are people running around with heads on sticks! The UN compound has been attacked too showing the UN's total lack of ability to support what it pledges. It has invalidated itself just like its predecessor the LN! The US and other "free world" leaders were reluctant to protect the human beings in East Timor for economic reasons. Fortunately, Australia (WHY) has come forward in the time of need. They have convinced the UN to allow them to lead a peace keeping force and end the genocide. Now USA too seems to be changing its position for reasons unknown. Of course one must note the reluctance and opposition from US Congressmen! You can help by responding to your conscience and writing to your local political leader or a world leader who can make a change. Ask them why they are letting this happen when they can stop it. March to your govt. palace and ask them... "how many human lives are worth a pair of Nike shoes?" (or whatever big company is there)!
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