| From the liner notes: "This CD is an outstanding statement
of support for the people of East Timor from the best of contemporary western
and indigenous musicians from around the world. Inspiration for the album
came from Irish rock star Bono of U2 who penned a poem in commemoration
of the Santa Cruz massacre. In November 1995 Irish Senator David
Norries, attempted to sneak into East Timor to deliver the poem.
After several young East Timorese living in Melbourne heard Bono's poem,
it was decide to put some contemporary music behind it and release it in
an effort to raise the plight of the East Timorese to an international
audience. Once Australia's techno whiz David Thrussel set and recorded
Bono's poem, the flood gates opened and many bands rang in offering tracks."
Bono's letter to the people of East Timor is also reprinted in the booklet
to the CD along with the poem:
"To the good people of East Timor. On behalf of myself, Bono and
the band U2, on behalf of most scribes and poets, most music, film and
object makers, both here in Ireland and around the world, please be sure
that we know of your strife and that even if we are not allowed to see,
you know that we hear of you, and that when we don't hear from you we think
of you...all the more.
There is no silence deep enough
No black out dark enough
No corruption thick enough
No business deal big enough
No politicians bent enough
No heart hollow enough
No grave wide enough
To bury your story
And keep it from us.
Love from a short distance. Bono, November 12, 1995."
The lyrics to the poem were put into song by Soma, and the recording
does not feature Bono on vocals. Instead the song is performed by
Soma in both English and Tetum (a language of the Democratic Republic of
East Timor), and also features samples of Senator David Norris reading
the poem after his failed physical attempt to deliver the letter to the
East Timorese people. |
