EAST TIMOR VOTERS HEAD TO POLLS

This weblog last reported on the former Portuguese colony in late August of 2004, when the tiny nation celebrated it’s fifth year of independence.

The country now begins voting for the ceremonial presidency. Hopes are high, as Timorians line up to cast their ballots. A run-off election is expected. Elections for prime minister and parliament will happen in June. Thousands of UN so-called “peacekeeping” troops, mostly from Australia and New Zealand, patrol the streets after ethnic and political violence claimed 37 lives back in 2006.

The nation still suffers from rampant poverty and a 50% unemployment rate, as reported by the globalist New York Times. Their major cash crops are rice and coffee. They have over a billion US dollars in oil revenue in an as-yet untapped special fund. That fund is a major issue in the current elections. Foreign investments are few. The manufacturing sector is anemic at best.

As was said before in 2004, Distributism can help to reduce the economic and political pressures in that tiny country. At the very least, their cash-crop production shouldn't be tied down to rice and coffee. It should be diversified to other crops, so as to cut down domestic hunger and increase independence from these two staples. Discover what indigenous manufacturing needs can be met using "intermediate technology" promoted by pro-Distributist groups like Practical Action.

East Timor is currently one of the poorest nations in Asia. But it can improve it's future by learning more about Distributism and then putting what they learn into practice. Pray for East Timor.