Edmund Rice Justice Bulletin

As this bulletin is being written a joint announcement following a meeting between the Foreign Ministers of Australia and East Timor has indicated that a compromise may have been reached in regard to the border dispute between the two countries involving access to the oil and gas reserves in the Timor Sea. Whilst details of the proposed agreement are not available it appears that East Timor will now receive a far greater share of the revenues from the development of these resources.

No doubt many factors contributed to the reaching of this decision, but it might also indicate that the message of concern about this issue from ordinary citizens who wrote, emailed or signed petitions was heard by politicians.

The improved outcome for the people of East Timor should give encouragement for all those concerned about the creation of a more just world to maintain their efforts on behalf of our disadvantaged and marginalized brothers and sisters.