The referendum on independence for East Timor must represent one of the most cynical political ploys to have been used on a people since the Nazis informed the Jews they were being rounded up to be sent to their own, newly created, Jewish State in Poland.

When the Indonesian government announced that they were giving in to thirty years of pressure and allowing the people of East Timor to decide their own future it was trumpeted in the West as a great victory and celebrated as a sign of the opening up of the world's fourth most populous state to democratic ideas.

However, the government in Jakarta must have known what the outcome would be.  They must have also have had a very good idea what the reaction to the vote would be among the pro Jakarta militias and the army.  So what on earth were they playing at suggesting and organizing a referendum they had no intention of respecting or defending?

The only answer I can see is that the scenes of horror we have witnessed on our T.V. screens recently was the very outcome Jakarta wanted. I can just imagine the scene as some high up politician discussed the matter with one of his generals:

"I don't know what to do General.  Those damn Timorese are getting out of hand. Pressure from the West is mounting.  We need a final solution to the problem!"

"Give them what they want!"

"You cannot be serious General"

"Let them have their referendum.  Let them celebrate their victory and while the party is in full swing...."

"You turn your dogs loose on them.....  I like the way you think General.  But what about the West?"

"Don't worry about the Yankies and their puppets sir.  Look at what happened in Kosovo.  By the time the U.N. stop talking and start acting, my dogs will have finished their sport".

With a country in ruins, with thousands dead and tens of thousands fled into exile, the birth of the new nation of East Timor has been a very painful one.

Once again a dictatorship has shown how cynical it can be in its disregard for human life and once again the United Nations has demonstrated just how effective they are at dragging their feet.  Whatever happened to the high ideals the organization is supposed to represent?