Writer
Susan Connelly
Susan Connelly is a Sister of St Joseph, was a primary school teacher and principal, and worked for 10 years teaching scripture in state schools. She has been involved with Timorese issues since 1994, and is particularly concerned with the prosecutions of Witness K and Bernard Collaery. Other important concerns are West Papua and asylum seekers. Bloomsbury Academic will publish her PhD thesis as “East Timor, René Girard and Neocolonial Violence: Scapegoating as Australian Policy”. It is an interpretation of the relationship between Australia and East Timor through the lenses of French-American philosopher René Girard’s insights into human violence and scapegoating.
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It’s time for an ICAC
There’s a three-way relationship between Australia, China and Timor-Leste. How will the next government manage it? Continue reading »
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Australians quick to forget terrible wartime price paid by Timorese saviours
The current government has shed every vestige of honour to conceal the truth about the espionage against the Timorese, venting its guilty fury on the spy with a conscience, Witness K, and his lawyer Bernard Collaery. Continue reading »
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In spying on East Timorese, Australia forgets its neighbour’s sacrifices
Australian forgetfulness of the wartime friendship and suffering of the Timorese people was crowned in 2004 by a grubby act of government greed. Continue reading »
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Australia shredded all decency in the persecution of Bernard Collaery.
Our spying against Timor-Leste and persecution of a whistleblower and his lawyer reads like a tawdry thriller that would embarrass James Bond. Continue reading »
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Adventures in incompetence – Witness K sentenced
This whole farce is more about protecting the real criminals in the case, those politicians and public servants who devised and planned, enabled and financed the shameful act of spying on the Timorese people. Continue reading »
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The Other Swindled Partner
What were you doing in 2004 as the Australian Government’s fleecing of the Timorese people took shape? Continue reading »
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Politicians and Prosecutions
Straining gnats and swallowing camels is not reserved for biblical Pharisees. Australians in the 21st-century witness pious adherence to matters that have certain importance, but which are secondary to, and meant to serve, the great human principles of ‘justice, mercy, good faith’ (Matt. 23:23-24). Continue reading »
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SUSAN CONNELLY. The World is Full of Scapegoats
Compromised politicians, muted religions, a distracted and increasingly partisan media and a malleable crowd combine in another tragedy. Scapegoating it is, but thanks to the Gospel it is not destined for seamless success. Continue reading »
