[Marxism] Request for sources

["Clinton Fernandes" <clintonf@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Dear Editors, 

John Woods asserts http://www.crikey.com.au/articles/2005/05/09-1559-3569.html 
that his "recollections from reading the history of the War in Timor was that 
many Timorese were opposed to the Australian soldiers and often "dobbed" to the 
Japanese where the Australians were located". He further asserts, "The more 
that I read official histories of the war in Timor the more I believe that it 
was a series of military blunders some of which were plain incompetent."

Would Mr Woods provide the historical sources on which he bases his 
recollections?

Crikey readers should be aware that Australia, not Japan, violated Portuguese 
neutrality by invading East Timor in 1941. Neither Japan nor Germany had any 
intention of violating Portuguese neutrality. 

Note that Manuel d'Abreu Ferreira de Carvalho, who was Governor of Portuguese 
Timor, cabled Australian PM John Curtin on 18 December 1941, "on the direct 
instructions of the Prime Minister of Portugal, Dr António de Oliveira Salazar, 
who had told the Governor to: Protest vigorously against the aggression, 
absolutely contrary to the principles of law, being carried out against this 
part of Portuguese territory, by Dutch and Australian forces, who claim to be 
acting in accordance with instructions received from the Government of the 
Netherlands Indies in agreement with the Government of the Commonwealth of 
Australia". Source: Ferreira de Carvalho to Evatt, 18 December 1941, W.J. 
Hudson and H.J. Stokes (eds.), Documents on Australian Foreign Policy, 
1937-1949, Canberra, Department of Foreign Affairs, 1982, vol. v, p. 321. 

See also Henry Frei, 'Japan's Reluctant Decision to Occupy Portuguese Timor, 1 
January 1942-20 February 1942', Australian Historical Studies, vol. 27, no. 
107, October 1996, pp. 281-302, which shows that the Japanese deliberated for 
approximately six weeks after the Australian invasion, ultimately realising 
that they would have to send troops to Portuguese Timor. This decision was made 
only at the end of January 1942 (the Australian force had entered on 16 
December 1942). Having respected Portuguese neutrality in Macao, they were keen 
to respect it in Portuguese Timor, but were drawn there by the Australian 
invasion. 

I look forward to Mr Woods's evidence.

Sincerely,

Dr Clinton Fernandes,
Melbourne
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