Good one Minh Nguyen.

Alkatiri is indeed an interesting character. On the face of it, he seems to have the measure of the competing interests that are swarming like hyenas upon East Timor's natural resources.

Our homegrown neocons will have their knickers in a twist of course, resorting to such dog whistles as "failed state", "Marxist influence", and the yellow peril. They have no shame where the glittering prize of those gas royalties is concerned.

If it were not for the corporate sharks, then good hearted people like Xanana and Jose would be sufficient alone to give the paternalistic leadership and set the ethical standards for the fledgling state.

Wolfie is an interesting character. Do you suppose he has had an epiphany after his part in the slaughter of Iraq?

I'll go onto a siding now, while the express train of howling indignation passes through -

It's refreshing to read comment about East Timor that deals with some very salient facts and does not swallow the blanket anti_Mari Alkatiri line that gives rebels leaders prime time TV coverage when they should have been disarmed and arrested.
It is no secret that the Australian and US Governments prefer the "charismatic Xanana Gusmao" and now ex-Foreign Minister Jose Ramos Horta to the hard nosed Nationalistic negotiator, Mari Alkatiri.
The 'rent-a crowd' of young men being bussed into Dili to besiege the Parliament and call on Gusmao to sack Alkatiri have had their opportunity to display their preferences.
I expect that a demonstration of mature Maubere citizens is about to show to the world that a far greater number support the democratically elected Alkatiri Government.
This should alert Australians to the fact that there is much more to the unrest in East Timor than we are being told by a captive media
and start to question the Howard Government's agenda which appears to have allowed the burning and looting to continue unabated whilst the ADF stood by.
onya Minh Nguyen

Discussing whether or not East Timor is a “failed state” is an exercise in semantics. East Timor is a mess, no matter how you describe it.

There is no difference in effect between alleged Indonesian violence and the current homegrown violence deriving from East Timor’s obvious inability to govern itself.

History and common sense backs Don Watson’s comments. Australia has neither the ability nor the resources to help in the decolonisation of East Timor. History shows that it requires decades of guidance and control to see former colonies build government institutions, democracy and law and order. Australians simply will not tolerate any government they elect spending that much time and money for the required period.

While the author might not have heard of any suggestions that easterners and westerners see themselves as separate nations, there can be no denial of the brutal combat, discrimination and vandalism of the two groups shown daily on the media. And, what about the author’s own reference to respected columnist, Gerard Henderson, who says that the East Timorese started killing each other as soon as the Portuguese left.

The only sense to come from this contribution was not from its author, but from Gerard Henderson, who wrote: “The unfashionable fact is that East Timor was not ready for immediate independence…,”.

This is still the case and it will be the case for many years to come.

East Timor is not a failed state, but it is in danger of becoming one. Whether the Timorese are able to solve the current crisis will be the big test for them now. But they are not helped by well meaning Fretilin supporters from Australia like Maracas and Helen Hill. I lived in Dili for 18 months in 2001-02 and even then Alkatiri was not popular being seen to run the country in the interests of a small group who had lived in exile during the Indonesian period. Timor desperately needs a new inclusive settlement that denounces the human rights abuses of Indonesia, but also accepts the education, language and ethnic affinity that Indonesia brought. Unfortunately, this settlement - that must include non-Fretilin - has not happened yet. Timorese independence was only possible after 1987 when the broad CNRM was formed that included former UDT and other non-Marxists. That coalition must not be allowed to unravel again now that independence has been achieved

Alkatiri has clearly stuffed things up, dragging his country down with him.

He has a right to his version of events but as a PM and leader he should have taken ethnic divisions and other political variables, such as military influence, into account.

He has demonstrated that he may be a good revolutionary advocate but unlike the Timorese President he failed to act as a moderator, or a manager and hold things together.

Naturally Australia has national interests regarding East Timor. What do grown up people expect?

If the East Timorese (as represented by Fretilin) want to play the GUILT CARD against Australia and imply that all Australia’s interests stem from neo-colonialism, Australia may grow tired of its adopted child.

Australia may eventually find it easier to deal over oil issues with an East Timor again controlled by Indonesia. This is because East Timor’s GUILT CARD approach to governance and foreign relations won’t wash with Indonesia.

Pete
http://spyingbadthings.blogspot.com

If Marxists like Alkatiri are the future of East Timor then perhaps North Korea can come in the help him keep the peace instead of Australia. Let him go back to Mozambique where he belongs.