Yes. Foreign intervention is anathema to an independent country, so common sense tells us that East Timor is not independent: and it has proved that it cannot govern itself. The claim that self-determination is threatened by Australia’s “neo-colonial dominance” is ludicrous. Australia helped East Timor to gain independence. East Timor, not Australia, blew it.

We aren’t told who the “powerful Australian interests” are, but anyone with the slightest knowledge of history knows that fledgling independent countries benefit from outside supervision for some years as they learn the ropes, particularly those without a unified population as is apparent in East Timor. Call it “imperialism” or whatever your like, it’s a fact. Australia's mistake was to leave East Timor to its own devices too early in the first place.

As for intervention, the Australian Government did not enter East Timor until it was asked, despite criticism from the Opposition and amateur strategists of the left that it should have done so

Before Australia’s polypragmonic behaviour is portrayed as dynamic imperialism, closer scrutiny needs to be paid to the players in East Timor or is it Timor Leste. I can imagine that part of the population in that country still owes affiliation to Indonesia. Another part, the elite, want to move away from the patois of the peasantry, Tetum, and adopt Portuguese as the official language. The Indonesians will be cultivating people to agitate in East Timor and to report on the secessionist movement in West Papua. Another group will be using East Timor as a base from which to agitate for change in West Papua. Toss in the interfering Jesuits and you have a malange of groups pulling in different directions.

To single Australia out as the whipping boy seems unfair.

I don't agree with the thrust of the article. Australia's interest first and foremost is to have a stable, self-sufficient East Timor. If Alkatiri were able to deliver that, Howard and others would not have criticised the Timorese leadership. One of the main problems is that the Alkatiri government has not listened to and channelled the aspirations of the many Timorese who gained their education from Indonesia but who nevertheless resisted human rights abuses by the brutal TNI regime. These people are Timor's greatest resource, but they are mostly unemployed.

BTW wasn't it only a matter of time before someone blamed the US for Timor's troubles. And what particular line item of USAID funding did the Catholic demonstrators' dunnies come under? I'd really like a little more elaboration on that one.

A balanced observation of the crisis.
Much more evidence of the forces of destabilisation are coming to light.
What is clear so far is that The Alkatiri Government's intentions to establish a debt free economy and proceed with sustainable development has irked elite elements who would stand to benefit from accellerated growth.
His Government has also upset the Catholic Church with their intention to establish a secular state. And the USA by developing friendly relations with Cuba
The elites would include Gusmao,Horta,Jose Luis Guterres and his running mate,Teme who would have been diligently courted by the Neocons during their diplomatic appointments and relations with foreign lobbyists.

Gusmao has finally discounted sacking the elected Government and vows to defend the Constitution.
Alkatiri has called on Horta to stand for election if he wants to be Prime Minister. It is pertinent to note that Horta's popularity is with the Howard Government,The USA and Indonesia, not the majority of the East Timorese people.

Alkatiri's opponents will try to use upcoming investigations to discredit him so as to reduce his electoral popularity in the period leading up to the 2007 elections.

What is obviously lacking is some independent reporting of civil life in East Timor that delivers unbiassed coverage of progress as well as criticisms of government shortcomings.

East Timor's descent into an Australian protectorate within short-term is inevitable. East Timor required foreign rule just to stay afloat, without it East Timor will immediately collapse into a bloody failed state. Australia will maintain its rule there to prevent this, as a failed East Timor will be bad for Australia's image as American "deputy sheriff" for South-Western Pacific area (PNG, Solomon Islands, and East Timor). Currently, Australia is even trying to prevent East Timor govt's wish for re-establishment of UN rule over the half-island.

However, in the long-term, Australia will eventually be forced out of East Timor because the people there have no intention of being ruled by Australians. Currently, Xanana Gusmao and Ramos-Horta is meeting our president SBY in Bali to give Indonesia a bigger role in East Timor as counter-balance of Australia. PM Mari Alkatiri will continue to enlarge the role of his supporter Portugal in the expense of Australia. UN will continue to assert its intention to re-establish UN rule over East Timor and take over control from Australia. Which foreign power will end-up with most power over East Timor out of this tussle will be interesting to see.

Eventually, foreigners will get sick of East Timor, and that half-island will sunk again to anarchy with its people mired even deeper into poverty (East Timorese currently being the poorest people in the world). Sad, sad tale East Timor is.

"Australia's interest first and foremost is to have a stable, self-sufficient East Timor"

Is that really Australia's first interest? Mayhap keeping a sizable chunk of East Timor's oil and gas reserves is high on that list.

No doubt Australia does want to see a stable, self sufficient East Timor.

Provided they cooperate.