1975

The birth of a new independence for a land finally unbound,

the chance to build their nation, full of pride on sovereign ground,

free of the yoke after centuries of rule by foreign hands,

a time of joy and excitement, unaware of horrors planned

Out of the west came darkness, silencing truth in Balibo,

an illegal occupation, and we were fully in the know,

freedom glimpsed now blinded, a dawn grown dark and lost,

a secretive shameful backing of our neighbourhood holocaust

Do memories really run so short from our privileged point of view ?

Have we forgotten the Battle of Timor that we fought in world war two ?

Of Sparrow Force, and guerilla war we fought on Timorese land,

we stood and died together, two worlds united in their stand,

tens of thousands lost their lives to ensure our troops were saved,

and this sacrifice protecting us makes our betrayal the more depraved

So when Suhartos troops rolled in did we act in the face of aggression ?

Did we come to the aid of those who stood and fell for us without question ?

Any action when the Balibo five were slain, or Roger East was executed ?

Not when politics greases rich palms whilst the poor get persecuted,

mouths that never move unless their pockets find a hand,

when power and greed are king we find ethics in low demand,

and not only did they turn their backs on the Timorese's human rights,

they uttered not a murmur as their own citizens were in the sights,

that snivelling breed that feeds on votes did not a single thing,

no words of condemnation, rage or challenge did they sling

As a third of the population died Suharto was wined and dined,

ensuring we secured our cut, as the country itself was robbed blind,

head of the queue and first in line to accept Indonesia's claim

upon a stolen land and people, and so we too wear the blame,

a hidden stain and history in no textbook you will find,

just in the remnants of the ink with which the Gap Treaty was signed

Selling Aussie culture with talk of loyalty and mates,

but these hypocrites with forked tongues make a killing from disgrace,

our name is torn and tattered as they drag it through the mud,

playing games with pawns of flesh, and getting rich off others blood,

trading morals in for cash whilst ignoring friends in need,

and they've shown the flag they follow, flying high above pure greed

Till last we send in peacekeepers to save the Timorese from themselves,

the armoured glove thats worn upon the hand stacking the shelves

Are these the only leaders we can find to be our voice ?

Are the actions they command the same as we would make by choice ?

Silence speaks such volumes in regards to bloodied hands

and we should never stay our voices in defence of foreign lands