Francis Duggan

A year on in east Timor and they are re-building Dili Town
The houses and the businesses that the Indonesian militia burnt down
These so called emergency soldiers poor East Timor did destroy
Whilst the Indonesian military to stop them did not try.

A year on in East Timor but what's to celebrate?
It came at such a heavy cost the birth of a New State
They can replace the houses and life goes on they say
But they can't bring back the murdered innocents in unmarked graves they lay.

They can't bring back the murdered innocents they are gone forever more
And the poor of poor East Timor no better off than before
Their separation from Indonesia they are still in poverty
Is this the price for freedom for so called liberty.

A year on in East Timor and all is far from well
And the poor traumatized survivors have been through living hell
And though they can replace the houses the dead forever gone
And not much use to them now if their names are living on.