The author should be forgiven for writing an essay arguing East Timor shouldn't help when East Timor is not involved anyway.

The author should also be forgiven for his gratuitous statement:

"Empirical evidence suggests that the current trigger of conflicts in many developing countries - ranging from wars, hungers, internally displaced people to environmental damage - is direct and indirect consequences of rich countries' foreign policies imposing upon the poor."

Perhaps the author should forego his superior education in rich Britain and get himself educated in his own poor country - if they'll have him.

Yes, why should a dirt poor tiny Christian East Timor, take in what could be just the tip of the iceberg mass migration; of displaced Muslims? When comparatively rich, much more compatible, much closer Muslim countries continue to refuse to do so?

Is Christian charity just a Christian thing? Or something that ought to be universal to all "book" religions; or common humanity?

I mean, the good Samaritan was a non Christian and not even a Jew?

In the final analysis, why are the Rohingyas refugees at all or in the first place?

Couldn't get on with generally peace loving and sharing Buddhists?
Who seem to be able to peacefully cohabitate with almost everyone else?

Could it have anything to do with Muslim beliefs/refusal to integrate; and or, a "need" to dominate the world/displace all other religious belief?
Rhrosty.

G'day Rhrosty

I wish I had the comfort of your dotage. Buddhists are not all saffron robed sandle skippers mate.

PLEASE TO NOTE:

Amnesty International advises that the Muslim Rohingya people have continued to suffer from human rights violations under the Buddhist Burmese junta since 1978, and many have fled to neighbouring Bangladesh as a result. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persecution_of_Muslims_in_Burma#Human_rights_violations_against_Rohingya

Now see http://www.amnestyusa.org/our-work/countries/asia-and-the-pacific/myanmar : The Buddhist Burmese Border Security Force (nasaka), army and police have conducted massive sweeps in areas that are heavily populated by Rohingyas. Hundreds of mostly men and boys have been detained, nearly all held incommunicado, and some subjected to ill-treatment.

Most arrests appear to have been arbitrary and discriminatory, violating the rights to liberty and to freedom from discrimination on grounds of religion.

Political prisoners in Myanmar are still held under vague laws frequently used by the government to criminalize peaceful political dissent. They are being held in grim conditions, with inadequate food and sanitation. Many are in poor health and do not receive proper medical treatment.

Many were tortured during their initial interrogation and detention, and still risk torture as a punishment at the hands of prison officers.

And violence by Buddhist Sri Lankans has been worse.

Poida

Why did a poor country like East Timor should take the burden to address the plight s of the refugees why the so called Muslims and rich countries in the middles like Qatar, Saudi Arabia,Kuwait or Indonesia and Malaysia are not doing their part after all these refugees are all Muslims. I do have sympathy for their plights but no way to use a small country like East Timor as a dumping ground why the rich countries are busy shutting/clogging up their doors.

The Rohingya should go to Muslim countries where they have a common religion. Tony Abbott has the courage to deny them entry to Australia East Timor should do the same. The Rohingya are the hapless victims locked into a medieval religion that will make them an underclass in any non-Muslim nation

Now it comes out approx 2/3 are Bangladeshi laborers not refugees.

Give them a taste of free welfare & healthcare for life and just imagine how many of there friends and relatives will be on the next lot of boats.

Abbott is doing what he was elected to do, Stop the boats.