400 miles from darwin

We pay to shed a sombre tear in the darkness together here
One among the hundreds, crying for the millions
And when the house lights break the trance
Only then unclasp our hands
Compose ourselves and fix our hair
"We would have all been Schindler there"
Drive in silence slowly home
Now horror's more than skin and bone
And can you see in 20 years
We'll pay to shed the same cheap tears?
In a film about an island, watch our hero take a stand
Pay our money gladly to wash our hands
Watching the movie we'll ask how the people might have known
Let it happen there without a fight
Kept driving on quietly home
Left the Timorese alone
400 miles from Darwin
The 2 minute hate is now the 3 hour love
With any action left to up above
Those people then could turn their heads
Now all the same we sleep instead
While 400 miles form Darwin East Timor is dying
Watching the movie we'll ask how the people might have known
Let it happen there without a fight
Kept driving on quietly home
Left the Timorese alone
400 miles from Darwin