Michael Danby (Melbourne Ports, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Hansard source

I second the motion and commend the member for Berowra for bringing this to the attention of the House. Like the member for Berowra, I have visited Timor-Leste on two occasions since that new nation achieved independence from Indonesia in 2002. On both occasions I have been struck by the deep bonds of friendship between our countries—bonds of friendship that endure despite a diplomatic relationship that is largely a story of sacrifice by the Timorese and, to some extent, exploitation by Australia. The motion before the House today is a telling example of what I am talking about.

In the lead-up to World War II the Japanese were in search of oil to fuel their army and power their navy. When they turned southward the Japanese were obviously after the rich oilfields of the Dutch East Indies, now Indonesia. Allied forces were aware of this Japanese plan to turn the Pacific into a 'Japanese lake' but were taken by surprise when Japan bombed the US naval headquarters at Pearl Harbour on 7 December 1941. The Japanese attacked the Philippines and extended their attack further southward. Just over a week later, in an attempt to curtail the Japanese invasion, Dutch, Australian and British troops occupied neutral Portuguese Timor, adjacent to Dutch Timor.

It is often overlooked that Portugal had remained neutral in the war raging in Europe. For the average Timorese, the horror of Pearl Harbour, even the Japanese attack southward, let the alone the horrors of the battles in Europe, would probably have barely registered. Yet the landing of the Allied forces in neutral Portuguese Timor brought the war directly into the lives of the Timorese, with devastating consequences.

Just two months later on 19 February 1942, at about 10 am, Japanese aircraft attacked Darwin, killing 243 people. That same day, just before midnight, 1,500 Japanese troops landed in Portuguese Timor. An Australian force, together with a few Dutch servicemen and even fewer Portuguese servicemen, was present. The Dutch and the Australians were known as Sparrow Force. They inflicted some damage on the Japanese invaders before withdrawing to the mountains where they were later joined by Portuguese and Timorese partisans. For the next year, the 700 or so commando soldiers who had escaped to the rugged hills waged a guerilla war against the Japanese imperial army. While they were small in number, they succeeded in tying up the resources of the tens of thousands of Japanese troops who would otherwise, as the member for Berowra said, have been deployed against Australians fighting in Papua New Guinea.

In Paul Cleary's detailed account The men who came out of the ground the preface about the Australian commando's taking part in the Australian equivalent of Winston Churchill's SOE says they required:

… ingenuity, imagination and mateship on a mammoth scale. Ingenuity, like rebuilding a radio from spare parts so that the force could contact Australia and tell the army chiefs they were indeed still fighting. Imagination, like mobilizing hundreds of local villagers to move supplies out of the enemy's reach without having the means to communicate with or compensate the willing East Timorese workers. It demanded mateship not just among the Australians, but with the local people.

It was in these guerilla battles that the Australian troops formed a close and respectful relationship with the locals who undertook crucial assistance roles, including vital intelligence. Cleary said the Timorese volunteers:

… became the eyes and ears of the soldiers, and by hauling supplies and equipment as well they made the 2/2 Company a vastly mobile and effective guerilla force … Timorese villagers gave the Australians food and shelter and whatever else they needed, and they refused to inform on them.

If you have visited East Timor, as I am sure you have, Mr Deputy Speaker, you would know that it is not the most abundant of countries, so for the villagers to share with Australian servicemen was indeed a sacrifice. Without the aid of the Timorese the commando force would have been quickly overrun. Despite their skills they relied on the local knowledge and incredible bravery of their Timorese helpers.

What is most critical in guerilla warfare is the provision of local intelligence, but it is also the most dangerous activity in support of a commando force. The Japanese army made the Timorese pay an immense price. As punishment for their assistance, the Japanese brutalized the locals and executed those found to have assisted the Australians. I wish to recognise that between 40,000 and 60,000 Timorese died at the hands of the Japanese because of their loyalty to the Australian commandos and because of the general brutality of the Japanese army at the time.

In his address at the opening of the Dare Memorial Museum and Fatunaba Memorial Primary School, Prime Minister His Excellency Mr Xanana Gusmao spoke of the bonds forged between East Timor and Australia. As we all know, it was the support of the Timorese people to the Australian soldiers that allowed them to survive during the war. Many Timorese volunteered to help the soldiers and, at great risk, they carried packs and ammunition, cooked for the troops and fought alongside them. It was this great display of solidarity and humanity that represents the strong foundation for the shared history between our two countries. President Gusmao stated:

It has resulted in bonds of friendship and honour that have left an enduring legacy.

The Australian soldiers that fought in Timor during the War have continued to return to our homeland to maintain the friendship with our people, and to support our communities.

…   …   …

This connection, forged in war, has also helped the cause of Timor-Leste.

The former soldiers have worked to remind Australians of the support they received from the Timorese in the War, and in doing so have fostered goodwill between us that will last for generations to come.

I do not think it is unfair to say that perhaps the most effective advocates of Australian intervention in Timor when it was under Indonesian control were these Australian ex-servicemen.

Eventually, as I said previously, the commandos there during the Second World War from 1942 were withdrawn but their Timorese helpers were left behind to face the Japanese alone. Many of the departing Australians described it as like leaving their families, with many Australians, as the President noted, returned to see their Timorese brothers in arms after the end of the war.

I want to conclude with some remarks about the third point of this motion, which states that this House:

commends and thanks the people of Timor-Leste for the sacrifices they made in supporting Australia during World War II.

It is one thing to thank the Timorese in a motion in this House—parliamentary motions are cheap—but Australia needs to keep paying its debt to the Timorese in actions and deeds. I am afraid to say that sometimes our actions have not matched our rhetoric. We turned a blind eye to the invasion of East Timor. With the then opposition foreign spokesman, Mr Laurie Brereton, I was very pleased to be involved in some change in Australian policy on Timor. I think that change was correct. Australia under Major General Cosgrove performed a very honourable role in Timor when we did seek to intervene. We redeemed ourselves to some extent when we championed the case at the UN to do something to about the violence that erupted in Dili and the districts following the historic vote for independence in August 1999.

I take this opportunity to honour the outstanding contribution of Major General Peter Cosgrove, who led the International Force for East Timor in 1999. Through the international force's efforts against pro-Indonesian militias, peace and order were restored and thousands of lives were saved. Major General Cosgrove described to me many times when young Australian servicemen were faced with aggressive and antagonistic opponents who were aligned to Indonesia. One click of their automatic weapons could have resulted in a major confrontation between Australia and Indonesia, but the good sense of the average Australian soldier at the grassroots prevented that.

I hope that Australia's ongoing relationship with Timor-Leste will be marked by a series of actions and deeds that are serious about repaying this World War II debt to the people of Timor. I conclude by highlighting the words of Prime Minister Gusmao and honour 'our deep and indelible bonds that were forged between Australians and the Timorese during World War II. Let us continue to honour their bravery and their sacrifice, through building on our shared values and our collective history.' I commend this motion. I hope that Ambassador Guterres from Timor-Leste will convey it to the Timorese parliament as a further example of Australia's close relationship with his country.

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