Out of sight, out of mind
I have deep and abiding convictions concerning social action. Indeed, I am certain that I can perhaps do something to alleviate the world's misery. I cannot abide those who would act cowardly in the face of social injustice. I believe in a bold and shattering commitment to the problems of our times — of which, I am sorry to say, there are far too many.
As you may well know, I had spent my youth in seclusion, meditation and private study in order to deepen my general comprehension of our place in the cosmos and especially my role in it.
Now, after stepping forth, I am unfortunate to be suffering from a state of flux as I am still in the process of adapting myself to the tensions of this all too modern and complex social universe. These minor setbacks are sure to pass as I train myself to approach the itinerary of my crusade with ever increasing doses of mental vigour.
Rather than deal directly with issues close to hand, I thought that my best course of action was to initially choose a complicated topic that I could wrestle with at some distance. I am therefore pleased to announce that the problem of East Timor has occupied my waking moments for the last five and three-quarter hours.
Do I note a certain ripple of excitement in response to my declaration? Isn't the problem of East Timor the most ponderable of problems to challenge us for all of these last twenty-three years? And I, seemingly, in a twinkling of an eye, can solve it like that.
If only my dear old grey-haired mother could see me now. Her little boy is now out and about, ministering to the wretched of the earth. Mum, this one's for you!
East Timor — the final solution: In order that a sophisticated evaluation of the topic is possible, one needs a realistic and pragmatic approach. Such a tactical orientation lends itself to a range of hypotheses many of which have been considered by various agencies in the past — an unfortunate recourse to a policy of genocide being one of them. The significance of the approach outlined herein is that it relies on a praxis afforded by a simple act of denial sometimes referred to euphemistically as "out of sight, out of mind".
The problem of East Timor is one primarily of our own making. It festers so close to our own borders with the rest of the world, thereby acting as a blight on our horizon. An easy resolution is afforded by the removal of the cause of much of our anguish. I therefore propose that both ourselves and the indigenous inhabitants of East Timor be afforded a respite from their proximity to one another.
As East Timor occupies a position slightly under 10 degrees south of the Equator, within a region often referred to as the East Indies, I propose that the issue be resolved by transferring that portion in dispute of the island of Timor from the East to the West Indies, there to occupy an isolated segment of the Caribbean Sea 300 kilometres off the coast of Costa Rica and 10 degrees north of the equator.
You'll have to give me a few moments while I work out how we can tow such a land mass around Cape Horn without the passengers being the worse for the journey.
By Dave Riley