Why does Timor matter?
Well, for diplomats and development hacks, according to prominent members of the UN, Timor was intended to be a model “test case” for state building. For finance types, oil tycoons and the Australian government, Timor matters because of the petro resources lying in the sea to the south of the island. Their total value is estimated at over US$8 billion. The straits of Ombai, to the north of the island, represent the most attractive deep water trench for passage from the Pacific to the Indian Ocean for both whales and nuclear submarines. For the rest of us, Timor matters because there are about 1 million people there living in dire poverty, and half are under the age of 18. It is a beautiful place, with extremely rich and diverse traditions. In 1999, the people bravely expressed their will to determine their own future, well aware of the risks involved.
