Becky Kennison wrote:
>
> Paul,
>
> So let me see if I have this right: it's OK for Indonesia to colonize East
> Timor, with great loss of life, as has been going on since 1975, but not OK
> for the UN member-states to attempt to stop loss of life resulting from
> out-of-control militias who support those Indonesian colonialist practices
> by slaughtering and terrorizing people who several weeks ago voted
> overwhelmingly to reject all colonization and become an independent nation?
This is exemplary of the change in values, which I think is worth attention. I
think that even 10 years ago it would have been taboo in the English-language
academic world, to suggest that violence in the ex-colonies legitimised
re-colonisation. Millions of people have been killed in ex-colonies, in much
bloodier wars than in Timor: but until a few years ago no-one in the
international policy elites seriously considered re-colonisation. Attitudes
have shifted dramatically, not in the least among public opinion. This is
partly because, rightly or wrongly, public opinion thinks such interventions
now have minimal casualties.
It *is* an attitude shift, to claim an invasion by western powers is
legitimate, simply because a slaughter is occurring. I emphasise that people
seem to have very short memories on this issue. Again, people have been
slaughtered all over sub-Saharan Africa since de-colonisation. but for most of
that time only a few politcally marginalised figures advocated sending in
white troops to retake any territory. That however, is exactly what is
happening in Timor.
pt
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