The vote by East Timor to oppose an Australian off-shore asylum seeker processing centre should not have come as a surprise. Only Labor wants to “move forward” on this one, writes Damien Kingsbury.
Articles by Damien Kingsbury 
Someone forgot to tell East Timor
The view within Dili on Gillard’s border protection proposal, and East Timor’s role, was one of surprise — no one seems to have been forewarned, much less consulted about this proposal.
Rudd and Yudhoyono to dine over the ‘new’ Indonesia
As Australia and Indonesia increasingly move down the same political path, the “misunderstandings” are disappearing. The visit to Australia by Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono marks an important step.
A confused government’s way forward
Trying to turn the Howard-era foreign policy sow’s ear into a Rudd government silk purse is doomed to policy failure, writes Damien Kingsbury.
Myopia and forgetfulness the preferred direction on foreign policy
When the Rudd Labor government was elected two years ago, there were high hopes that it would leave behind the more negative foreign policies of its predecessor Howard coalition government. What we have, though, is a foreign policy shambles.
Oops, there goes the relationship with Indonesia
The roller-coaster that is the Australia-Indonesia bilateral relationship is again plummeting.
Howard and Kelly rewrite history on East Timor
Damien Kingsbury wonders why former PM John Howard finds it necessary to create a palpable fiction over his commitment to East Timor’s independence.
East Timor’s media ‘blackout’ or just a lack of research?
There isn’t a ‘media blackout’ occurring in East Timor, rather lots of factually incorrect stories that ignore the East Timorese government’s focus on anti-corruption campaigns.
Bombings reboot Indonesia’s vicious political circle
Just two weeks ago, observers were congratulating Indonesia for a presidential election that was seen to consolidate that country’s process of democratisation. Now the country again appears to be on the edge of political turmoil.
Sri Lanka’s military showdown: is this it?
Sri Lanka’s battle to militarily defeat the country’s separatist Tamil Tigers appears to heading towards its final moments; but is this really the end?
Crikey Clarifier: Why won’t Indonesia stop the people smugglers?
Corruption, bribery and boats: we know that asylum seekers who attempt to come to Australia by boat invariably come via Indonesia, and that much of the problem lies there.
Indonesia’s post-election shake-up
Indonesia’s political parties are now jockeying to form coalitions in a major re-ordering of that country’s political landscape.
Amid dreams of independence, Indonesia goes to the polls
Indonesia goes to the polls to elect its national and local legislatures today, in what many see as a foretaste of the presidential polls in July, writes Damien Kingsbury.
