Thread by @PeterCronau

A murdered journalist, after five were murdered 2 months before, attracted little media attention - with the post-coup election on in Australia in 1975 & the US wanting us to ignore the #Timor invasion. We mostly complied - only his family, friends, & colleagues to bat away. ../2

No #DFAT investigation, no #AFP witness statements, no government interest, but just words. Our government maintained the Indonesians cover story that he’d fled to the hills - despite knowing he was summarily shot in public in front of dozens of living witnesses in December 8.
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I interviewed still distraught eyewitnesses in 1995 for a SMH article. The killers lived prosperous careers, retired to a genteel life in Java, doting on their grandkids, occasionally telling old war stories but only to old war mates. …/3

I approached the man who ordered his death, he was very afraid, and refused to talk to any Australian. He’s nearly dead now, and remains protected by the old #Seroja network. If Australia had even just objected to the earlier slaughter of the five journalists in #Balibo, …/4

Roger might have lived, and moreso the other 204,000 dead Timorese may have been lived, and the nation spared its next traumatic 25 years. Just for the sake of Australia speaking up, taking an ethical position, being moral. But no, that’s not our Australia. …/5

We comply with the wishes of the imperial power, using whatever justifications we can muster, taking our profits wherever we can. Still doing it in 2004 when we bugged the Timor government …/6

Yes, we were still doing it in 2004 when we bugged the Timor government for the imperial power, and to take whatever profits we can.
Makes me nauseous, because we have learnt nothing. Nothing at all.

* Rest in peace Roger. *

Details at ABC’s memorial: abc.net.au/corp/memorial/…