East Timor - Religion or Greed?

Indonesia is the most populated (212 million) and predominantly (87%) Muslim country. East Timor was one of 13,000 islands, which makes Indonesia.

According to former US ambassador to Indonesia, Edward Masters, Indonesia did more in 35 years to develop barren, infertile East Timor than Portugal did in four centuries.

Indonesia allocated development funds to East Timor at a rate six times the national average. In 1975, less than 10% of Timorese were literate, there were only 50 schools, and no colleges. By 1994 East Timor had 600 elementary schools, 90 middle schools and three colleges. Under the Portuguese East Timor had only two hospitals and 14 health clinics. By 1994 there were 10 hospitals and nearly 200 village health centers. In 1975 it had 20 km hard surfaced roads, by 1994 there were 500 km. The number of Catholic Churches in predominantly Catholic East Timor quadrupled under Indonesian rule

But Christian separatist rebels Fretilin supported by world churches played Muslim-Christian religious card and continued to resist Indonesian rule, and offshore oil discoveries made matters worse.

"Australian oil technicians say that the Timor seabed could yield some of the world's most productive oil fields," reported the Multinational Monitor. A treaty was signed in 1989 by Australia and Indonesia. Australia needs this oil, and since its separation from Jakarta, massive revenues have been reported flowing from East Timor to Australia with no relief for ordinary citizen.

semar wrote: Rehmat (or anybody), Do you have the source, my friend want to write a serious article about it. If so plaease let me know.

My article is not 'copy & paste' from one source - but your friend can get much more information - he/she doesn't mind believing in Muslim viewpoint.

http://search.freefind.com/find.html?id=5446873&pageid=r &mode=ALL&query=east+timor

We don't _need_ their oil - they (the East Timorese) do!

Our government is trying to steal most of the gas reserves from the Timorese and it's an absolute disgrace.

Kim...

From Australia, but at least I can hold me head up and say I didn't vote for the theives running this country.

http://www.vialls.com/myahudi/embassynuke.html

What the...????????????

This is insane. Muslim extremists in Indonesia don't like Australia. We don't have problems with other Muslims. Not even those in Indonesia. We know they are fair and reasonable like anyone else. Some people hate us because we (eventually) helped liberate the East Timorese. Everyone knows that. but let's face it - we helped the East Timorese get into trouble in the first place and did nothing about it for a very long time.

Bimey, next you'll be trying to tell me it was Israel who paid and organised the Saudis for 11/9.

Kim...