Associate Professor Vannessa Hearman’s new book, The Good Sea: The Journey of The Tasi Diak and the Politics of Refugee Protection in Australia, examines the arrival of the Tasi Diak, the only successful refugee boat crossing from East Timor to Australia during the 24 years of Indonesian rule. The work, which utilizes archives, government records, media reports and interviews with asylum seekers, highlights the impact of the boat’s arrival on Australia’s relationship with Indonesia in the last years of the Suharto regime.
Historical Context of the Tasi Diak
The Tasi Diak carried young East Timorese activists. According to the book, the vessel’s arrival had a powerful impact on Australia’s relationship with Indonesia. Dr. Jude Conway, who was an activist with Australians for a Free East Timor in Darwin in the 1990s, notes that she and other Darwin-based activists and members of the East Timorese community kept a watch for the Tasi Diak in 1995. The book traces the lives of those on board and the lobbying of the Australian government over its refusal to grant them permanent residence.
Did You Know?
The Tasi Diak was the only successful crossing between East Timor and Australia during the 24 years of Indonesian rule.
Significance for Refugee Policy
The arrival of the Tasi Diak serves as a case study for the broader challenges of historical justice and human rights. Dr. Conway, who became friends and fellow activists with a number of the Timorese from the boat, lobbied the Australian government after it refused to grant them permanent residence. The book, authored by Hearman—an historian at Curtin University specializing in Indonesia and Timor-Leste—deals with the effects of the Cold War in Asia, Australia’s engagements with Asia and the Pacific, and struggles for historical justice and human rights.
Expert Insight:
The narrative of the Tasi Diak illustrates the politics of refugee protection. By documenting the personal struggles of activists like Jose da Costa—an East Timorese writer and actor who came to Australia aboard the Tasi Diak—the book provides a human scale to the broader political debates.
What Happens Next
The publication of The Good Sea is expected to revive academic and public discussion. The launch, featuring Dr. Jude Conway and Jose da Costa, serves as a platform to examine these legacies.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of The Good Sea?
The book tells the story of the only successful crossing between East Timor and Australia during the 24 years of Indonesian rule, which was undertaken by a refugee boat called the Tasi Diak.
Who is featured in the book launch?
The book will be launched by Dr. Jude Conway, with participation from East Timorese writer and actor Jose da Costa, who came to Australia aboard the Tasi Diak.
What sources does the book utilize?
The book draws on archives, government records, media reports and interviews with the asylum seekers.
How does the history of the Tasi Diak change your understanding of Australia’s role in the region during the 1990s?
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