[Marxism] Re: East Timor

[Ben Courtice <benj2006@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

(Generally ignoring Louis Proyect's ad hominem attacks on the DSP, which
seem to be standard for any issue where he's on shaky ground... )

Understanding exactly what was at stake in East Timor during the
referendum and subsequent terror, and the UN/Australian intervention, is
important.

Obviously there was no socialist revolution about to be had. The
nationalists (Alkatiri, Horta etc) had long moved to the right, and the
socialists (PST etc) were small and not well known.

Even if the TNI had not unleashed the terror, and the INTERFET forces
were never sent to East Timor, what sort of economy and state would we
be looking at?

It would still be a highly impoverished third world country. Of course,
as Nick F points out, the Australian troops did cut short the orgy of
killing (of independence activists) that the TNI were directing, so at
least there is a political struggle in post-independence East Timor as
there are still activists to carry it out.

With the TNI gone, those activists are now free to aim their fire at the
 pro-imperialist elite like the egomaniacal Horta. This is good and
although I wouldn't say the current strife is in itself a good thing, I
hope the shake-up brings about some improvement in life. People are
dying of malnutrition in East Timor (while the Australian government
laughs about its budget surplus and throws tax cuts around for middle
and high income earners).

Ben Courtice

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