Sibylle Kaczorek, Sydney
On August 2, Sister Susan Connelly, assistant director of the Mary MacKillop Institute for East Timor Studies, said that "fairness" should be the overarching principle in the David versus Goliath stand-off that characterises the "negotiations" about the gas and oil deposits in the Timor Sea.
Connelly was speaking at a public meeting organised by the Timor Sea Justice Campaign (TSJC). Attended by 35 people, the meeting was also addressed by Father Frank Brennan, associate director of Uniya, the Jesuit Social Justice Centre in Sydney.
Ian Melrose, the Melbourne businessperson who has spent $3 million on television advertisements supporting the Timor Sea Justice Campaign was also due to speak but was unable to attend.
Connelly described as offensive the Howard government's claim that it had been "fair and generous" to East Timor, noting that East Timor is yet to receive any royalties out of the deal, but Australia has already received $2 billion in revenues from a single oil field. This field, Laminaria/Corallina, would be 100% within East Timor's maritime jurisdiction if international law was applied.
The demand for the application of international law to the Timor Sea oil and gas fields is an "issue of justice, not charity", Connelly said.
Brennan described the results of the latest round of negotiations between Canberra and Dili. He explained that the 50/50 deal on revenue from the Greater Sunrise field included the postponement of further discussion on maritime boundaries between Australia and East Timor.
From Darwin, Jon Lamb reports that 70 people attended a meeting on August 4 organised by the TSJC. Melbourne-based TSJC coordinator Tommy Clarke told the meeting "when you've got children dying of preventable diseases, you just can't play the kind of waiting game the Australian government is forcing on East Timor". He urged those at the meeting to get involved in the campaign in support of East Timor's sovereign rights. A number of the banned TSJC television advertisements were screened, as well as a satirical speech by John Clarke, impersonating Alexander Downer. To get involved with the TSJC in Darwin, phone Jude on 0409 193 242 or Jon on 0438 162 597.
From Green Left Weekly, August 10, 2005.
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