Atambua – The Belu district government said it was treating the 26 East Timorese seeking asylum in Atambua as foreign nationals.
"We will never treat them as if they are former East Timorese refugees. They came to this district as foreign nationals in dire need of protection," chief of the Belu police resort Adjunct Chief Commissioner Agus Nugroho said here Saturday.
Jill Jolliffe – Today's pilgrimage to Balibo by the families of the five television reporters killed in an Indonesian attack on the East Timorese border town 28 years ago is a turning point in their unfinished mourning and in their quest for the truth about the killings.
Keith Suter – The largest loss of life ever sustained by the Australian media industry took place on October 16, 1975, at the East Timor village of Balibo. Five journalists were killed. All the governments that had citizens involved in the deaths have refused to reveal all that they know.
Kupang – The leaders of two ex-East Timorese refugee organizations have urged the Indonesian government to refrain from deporting 26 East Timorese asylum seekers currently staying in Atambua, East Nusatenggara, citing humanitarian considerations.
Waingapu – East Timorese President Xanana Gusmao has expressed anger over attitude of the country's citizens seeking asylum in Atambua, Belu district, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), a military officer said on Thursday.
A former militia leader, who was sentenced to 10 years for his role in the 1999 East Timor violence, unfurled a giant Indonesian flag yesterday and called on the country to "rekindle" its nationalist spirit.
Yemris Fointuna, Kupang – East Timor President Xanana Gusmao called on East Timor asylum seekers on Monday in the Indonesia's territory of Atambua here to return to their homeland in East Timor. But, his appeal was quickly rejected by the asylum seekers, who still fear intimidation back home.
Atambua – The Indonesian military and police have agreed to deport 26 East Timorese who are seeking asylum at Belu police resort in Indonesia's East Nusa Tenggara province.
The Australian High Commissioner believes that the interim legal framework for Timor Sea petroleum development is a winner for East Timor (letters, October 20).
Dili – An East Timorese court Thursday convicted and sentenced two former pro-Jakarta militiaman for murdering three independence supporters during the country's break from Indonesia in 1999.
Ben Packham, Melbourne – East Timorese trade unionists have ended the nation's first-ever strike. The country's aviation workers ended the two-week strike after reaching an interim agreement with air-freight company Timor Aviation Services.
Dili – East Timorese leaders, returning home from a European tour, expressed optimism Tuesday about continued European Union aid but said Dili's expectations should be "realistic".
Jill Jolliffe, Batugade – East Timorese self-sufficiency came a step closer at the weekend as United Nations peacekeepers handed control of the Indonesian border area to local police.
Yemris Fointuna, Kupang – As many as 48 East Timorese citizens sneaked into East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) province seeking protection from the Indonesia government, claiming they were victims of intimidation, police said on Friday.
Michael Casey, Jakarta – The prime minister of East Timor said Friday that his nation has little hope of overcoming its desperate poverty unless the United Nations extends its presence there and donor countries reject proposals to reduce aid.
Alan Sipress, Dili – Joni Marques is in jail for his role in the ambush and murder of three Catholic priests, two nuns and their traveling companions in 1999, one of the most infamous incidents during this country's violent birth.
Jonathan Steele – Australia, which led an international peace force to help East Timor become independent last year, has become the greatest barrier to the country's hopes of breaking free from reliance on foreign aid, according to stark budget figures released yesterday.
Yemris Fointuna, Kupang – At least five of 14 regencies in East Nusa Tenggara have refused to give land for resettlement areas for thousands of East Timorese refugees still languishing in camps across the province.
Jakarta – A former pro-Indonesia militia member in East Timor has been jailed for 10 B1/2 years for crimes against humanity including one count of murder, East Timor's serious crimes unit said on Monday.
Alan Sipress, Dili – "Turn around!" the police cadet barked. "Get on your knees! Cross your legs!" The suspect dropped to the hot asphalt and obligingly stretched his arms behind him. The cadet grabbed a wrist. But as he produced a set of handcuffs, he fumbled with the mechanism.
Alan Sipress, Laga – On a narrow road strung perilously along a rock ledge above the beach, Cornelio Gama stopped his jeep and motioned to the spot where his rebel band had ambushed a column of three dozen Indonesian soldiers.
A bitter industrial dispute in East Timor has taken a turn for the worse, with the arrest of an Australian trade union official by United Nations police. The official was taking part in a protest at Dili Airport on Sunday, organised by striking East Timorese employees of Timor Aviation Services.
Paul Robinson – An Australian union official has been jailed in East Timor by United Nations police after a demonstration outside a local airline office owned by Australian travel company executives.
Dili – Prosecutors in East Timor on Tuesday charged 17 Indonesian and East Timorese members of the Indonesian army with murderous attacks on independence supporters and other civilians.
Gel Wilson – Australian officials expect talks on a maritime boundary between Australia and East Timor to be "long and intricate".
The issue is a major test of Australia's relations with the new country, with ownership of oil and gas reserves worth billions of dollars at stake.
Yemris Fointuna, Kupang – Hundreds of students and East Timorese refugees continued their demonstrations on Tuesday at the East Nusa Tenggara legislative council following the reported misuse of funds intended for the refugees.
Singapore – Timor Leste President Xanana Gusmao said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad would make a two-day visit to the country beginning October 22.
Quinton Temby – As development of the rich oil and natural gas reserves in the Timor Sea near East Timor takes off, the Government hopes that investment by oil-industry giants will bring the petroleum onshore for processing. Ten thousand jobs could be created and untold billions of dollars added to the Gross Domestic Product.
Singapore – East Timor, the world's youngest nation, is struggling to find ways to achieve economic survival and needs external investment, President Xanana Gusmao said Tuesday.
Jakarta – East Timor prosecutors have indicted 18 people for crimes against humanity, including two Indonesian military officers, in connection with violence surrounding its 1999 vote for independence.
The tiny country's serious crimes unit said on Friday the 18 were indicted for crimes ranging from murder to torture and persecution.
Nick Ferrett – It may be that Australia fails in its bid to obtain chairmanship of the United Nations Human Rights Committee. That would make Greg Barns happy, apparently. It would also make the serial and serious abusers of human rights among the members of the committee happy.
Paulo Gorjao – East Timor is seen at the United Nations headquarters as one of its state-building success stories in the past few years. Even though the UN had no prior experience in state-building, it administered and exercised all legislative and executive authority in the territory until its independence from Indonesia.
East Timor's Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri is today travelling to China, an old ally from his years in exile. The Prime Minister's critics say he's too close to the Chinese and too wary of foreign investment from Western sources. They're part of the growing list of criticisms levelled at the man who took over Timor's top job in 2001.
Jill Jolliffe, Dili – East Timor's chief prosecutor, Longuinhos Monteiro, has warned that the country could face internal problems if it drops cases against Indonesian human rights violators to further relations with Jakarta.
Kefamenanu, East Nusa Tenggara – East Timor should prevent illegal trade at the border between its Oecusse district and Timor Tengah Utara district in Indonesia's East Nusa Tenggara province, a local official has said.
Russell Thirgood – Four years after the East Timorese people voted overwhelmingly for independence from Indonesia, justice remains elusive for the victims of the violence that followed.
Jill Jolliffe, Dili – A bid by East Timor's President Xanana Gusmao to further his campaign for reconciliation with Indonesia came apart yesterday when Jakarta's former foreign minister, Ali Alatas, was criticised during a visit to Dili by Bishop Carlos Belo and subjected to hostile questioning by the local press.
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja and Tiarma Siboro, Jakarta – Assets remain a thorny issue in Indonesia and East Timor relations, as neither of the countries is willing to back down from its stance in settling the problem.
Dili – Ali Alatas, the former Indonesian foreign minister who negotiated East Timor's 1999 independence plebiscite, arrived in Dili Monday for a visit, expressing "lament" at the violence that scarred the process, but "satisfaction" with increasing bilateral cooperation.
Dili – A top East Timorese commander said Monday it was time to put the country's troubled past behind it and endorse an offer from Indonesia, its former occupier, of joint military training.
And they are the passions of Kiam Lay and Toto Djumanto, developed over a decade of growing up in Melbourne.
Djumanto, 21, a manager at McDonald's, avoids cruising Lygon Street but loves tinkering with his red VN Commodore while Lay, 20, is more interested in the Swans' finals chances.
Dili – A high-level delegation led by Indonesian Foreign Minister Hasan Wirayuda arrived Friday in East Timor, its former possession, to discuss issues including border security, trade and property compensation.
Kupang – Former deputy commander of pro-Indonesian fighters in East Timor Eurico Guterres on Thursday denied that he would attack East Timor.
"I think the East Timor problem is over, and I am thinking to make peace for its future. But certain parties have circulated rumors that I will attack the country with my 150 men," he said in a phone interview.
Jakarta – Indonesia will seek compensation for its nationals who lost property in East Timor when ministers from both countries meet in Dili for two days of talks beginning Friday, an Indonesian official said.
Vannessa Hearman, Melbourne – Zito da Costa, president of the East Timor Confederation of Trade Unions (Konfederasaun Sindikatu Timor Leste – KSTL), one of several trade union groupings in East Timor, addressed a small gathering at Trades Hall on August 21. Da Costa was attending the Australian Council of Trade Unions congress.
Kupang – The Indonesian government has reiterated the five options offered to former residents of East Timor who have continued to stay in Indonesia's West Timor area despite East Timor's declaration as the Republic of Timor Leste.
Aderito Soares – A car bomb exploded at the Marriott Hotel in Jakarta on August 5, killing 12 people. That same day, across town, a man responsible for many more deaths received a slap on the wrist as Indonesia's ad hoc human rights court ended its judicial charade. Major-General Adam Damiri received three years in jail for his involvement in the 1999 devastation in East Timor.
Dili – East Timor's leaders met Monday to discuss "urgent" measures to control the activities of a militant nationalist group that has been accused of fomenting instability in the new nation.
Atambua – A cultural festival to be held in Timor Tengah Utara district in Indonesia's East Nusa Tenggara province on September 22, would serve as the barometer for security in the border between Indonesia and East Timor, a local official has said.
Eugene Bingham – Indonesia's military, from the top brass down to regular soldiers and members of the militia, have gone unpunished for the massacres, assassinations and executions carried out in East Timor in 1999.