Oil in Timor Sea

Nehal Adil Saurya, the Sun, the national daily of the Democratic Republic of Timor Leste or Eastern Timor is an outspoken champion of Timor's rights in the hydro-carbon resources in Timor Sea. Many believe it is the hydro-carbon resources that prompted the West's support for the liberation of East Timor from Indonesia. But no one knows it better than the leaders of Timor themselves. Though it is said, USA and her foreign minister Kissinger prompted Indonesia to occupy and then launch a war of genocide against the people of East Timor, ultimately it was USA which helped the emergence of East Timor as an independent entity. Today dollar is the national currency of Timor. Only Panama has that honour. Many think Timor's odyssey was not very different from that of Pakistani army genocide in East Bengal. In proportion to the population, it was more catastrophic for the people of East Timor. One-third of East Timor population was liquidated. The victory of the democratic uprising against Suharto regime in Indonesia ultimately brought the liberation of East Timor. But the role of President Clinton cannot be overlooked. He took a bold stand regarding East Timor, though its political leadership was accused to be communist. But it cannot be overlooked that East Timor is predominantly Catholic whereas Indonesia is predominantly Muslim. This inspired the white Christian chauvinists of USA in a post-Soviet world to raise the crusading spirit against Islam. But Marxists of Freltin were not of same brand. Their leader Gusmao was in Indonesian prison. He spoke fluent Indonesian and delivered part of his independence address in Bhasha Indonesia, the Indonesian language. Gusmao and Ramos Horta have mixed Indian-Portuguese blood. By Indian means Bangalees who were taken away by harmads (the Portuguese Armada - the navy). The top elite of Timor spoke Portuguese but you find mingle of Bangla like Saurya, the sun in national language Tetum. Many say, from the elite, like in our country came the communists. But they claim, Indonesian occupation empowered the poor and downgraded. It is the poor and have-nots who spoke Tetum, the national language. By overthrowing Portuguese speaking aristocracy Suharto and Indonesian Army unleashed new forces. As a believer in Hegelian-Marxist dialectics Gusmao could not ignore these contradictions. The moment of Truth came when Major Reinard, representing Portuguese elite organised a coup with the implicit support of USA and Australia. Major Reinard was killed by the patriotic elements of Timorese Army. Australia and USA backed out. The Wikileaks which many believe is promoted by the US government itself tried to spread misinformation about this event as they do about one eleven in our country which most people believe was promoted by American, British and Australian embassies as a neo-colonialist venture but our political and military leaders are blamed instead. In Wikileaks, there is character assassination against Horta and Timorese leadership but nothing about American and Australian involvement. Al Qatari a Muslim and Freltin Prime Minister was ousted. If we analyse our history, we will find it is our oil and gas that was behind all our suffering from the partition of India in 1947 to the war of genocide in 1971. We cannot ignore the fact that unfortunate country Timor has nearly four hundred year old Bengali connection. Portuguese Armada Chief Domingo Carvalho with his Armada the navy which The Bangalees called harmad for their beastly behaviour set up a colonial Kingdom in Swandip. He had taken away Anjalica Roy, daughter of Kedar Roy Choudhury, an associate of Dewan Isa Khan, leader of Bar Bhuyas, the Confederacy of Bengal. Anjalika was niece of Isa Khan's wife Swarnamoyee Roy Choudhury - Sona Bibi. After Isa Khan won the battle of Egaro Sindhu, he made a peace on his own with the Moguls to drive away the Portuguese. The Mogul Governor Islam Khan drove away the Portuguese from Swandip. Carvalho with his armada or fleet moved eastward and settled in an island harbour, by passing the Dutch and named it Dili, the Bengali name for Indian capital Delhi. He called himself the Portuguese Governor General of Eastern Portuguese Empire. Anjalika, now known as Queen Angelica never came back home. Swedish naval historian Ronald Svensson wrote, it was the Bengalese sailors in Armada who after defecting told the British the way to India via St Helena. That was the saga of the British Empire originating from that small island. Australia was discovered by Dutch Tasman much later. India was occupied by the British two hundred years later. It was a decedent of Domingo Carvalho-Otello Carvalho of mixed Indian and Portuguese blood who carried out Portugal's April Revolution in 1974. Marxist Freltin declared independence of East Timor as the Democratic Republic of Timor Leste, East Timor, four years after ours. Then the brutal Indonesian occupation of twenty four years followed. The West thought Dili will forget everything about oil in Timor sea as a gratitude to US and Australia. Timor was policed by Australian troops, its currency is still US dollar. But Gusmao knew the game. He reconciled with Indonesia as guarantee for Timor's sovereignty vis-à-vis western powers. He developed close relations with Vietnam whose glorious struggle had inspired Freltin guerrillas. Timor developed relations with China, India, Russia and Brazil - a Portuguese speaking country. It has developed relations with Cuba, a country far off geographically but ideologically closer. Cuban volunteers are taking part in the health services of East Timor. Bangladeshi peace keepers played an important role in East Timor. The sea boundary on Timor sea was drawn when Timor's position was weak as the Weekly Guardian pointed out at that time. This gives major part of oil to Australia. Timor has no oil exploration capability. It does not have its own currency and banking infrastructure. The west exploited it. To face it Timorese leadership tried to end the guardianship of Australia and USA.