The Balibo story – an aspect of Australian identity

June 3rd, 2009 jen Posted in 1975, Friends of Suai News Comments Off on The Balibo story – an aspect of Australian identity

The Balibo story soon to be released as a dramatic feature film, delineates an aspect of Australian identity in our regional neighbourhood that most Australians have suppressed or would prefer to forget. If anyone is in any doubt about the lack of morality of successive Australian Governments and their double standards in contributing to East Timor’s devastation and material poverty, the short video Black Bullion just uploaded on Suai Media Space should dispel them. Made in 2003 the film shows Australia’s leaders were still deceiving the Australian public after sending in our soldiers to help stop the killing in 1999.

Black Bullion explains in simple terms with some dark humour, Australia’s role in stealing wealth from it’s nearest and poorest neighbour, while thousands of grassroots Australians and others were working hard to rebuild friendship and trust with East Timorese people after the devastating events of 1999 following the referendum.

Balibo forever linked the community of Port Phillip to the people of East Timor because it is the home to relatives of the two journalists:  Shirley Shackleton, Paul Stewart. Shirley’s husband Greg Shackleton and Paul’s brother Tony were two of the journalists killed at Balibo. Shirley became the face of East Timor in some ways in the Australian press as she never allowed her voice to be silenced. Paul made a huge contribution to raising awareness of the young through his involvement in the Dili Allstars whose song Liberdade is known word by word through out Timor.

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32nd Anniversary: Proclamation of Independence of the Democratic Republic of East Timor

November 29th, 2007 jen Posted in 1975, 2007 - 32snd Anniversary Independence, Acts of Remembrance, Events, Friends of Suai News, News from Port Phillip Comments Off on 32nd Anniversary: Proclamation of Independence of the Democratic Republic of East Timor

Last night the Australian East Timor Association and many of its members celebrated the 32nd Anniversary of the Proclamation of Independence of the Democratic Republic of East Timor at the Spanish Club in Fitzroy an inner suburb of Melbourne. I was there as documentary-maker and friend of Suai.

One of the oldest and most respected of East Timor’s friends in solidarity for over thirty two years – David Scott was there at the dinner. David founded AETA and John Sinnot has run AETA for the same period of time. I have photographs of them which you can see in
as well as Ego Lemos and Salvador Castro performing for us. You will be able to read more about David Scott in the ‘Timor Ponies of Pt Phillip’ pages next year. And before that I will post a chapter from his book ‘Last Flight out of Dili’ which tells the story of Australia’s betrayal of East Timor in 1945.
I met Pedro Lebre of the famous Villa Harmonia in June 2005. In the short history of Villa Harmonia Pedro Lebre wrote for sms he mentioned that he first fled East Timor in 1974 , because he was in fear for his life. Pedro Lebre also gave me three poems. It seemed an appropriate act of remembrance to post his poems and his short history on this day 32 years afterwards. /category/events/

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