Markus Junianto Sihaloho & Ashlee Betteridge – The Armed Forces on Tuesday shrugged off a former soldier's statement that Indonesian military forces killed the so-called Balibo Five and burned their bodies to conceal evidence the military was active in that area.

Matt Crook, Dili – The UN mission in East Timor needs to hand over formal control of the country's national police force as soon as possible to avoid doing irreparable damage, according to an influential think-tank.

Talek Harris, Sydney – Relatives of five journalists killed in the East Timor border town of Balibo in 1975 on Tuesday welcomed a former soldier's "milestone" statement that they were shot by invading Indonesian troops.

A former Indonesian army colonel has admitted Indonesian soldiers deliberately killed the so-called Balibo Five journalists to cover up the invasion of East Timor.

Gatot Purwanto says a rational decision was made to kill the Australia-based newsmen, contradicting Indonesia's long-held official line they died in crossfire.

Rod McGuirk, Jakarta – A former Indonesian army colonel has told a magazine that soldiers deliberately killed five Western journalists in East Timor in 1975, contradicting his government's line that they accidentally died in a crossfire.

Stephen Fitzpatrick, Jakarta – The Balibo Five were deliberately killed during Indonesia's 1975 invasion of East Timor, according to a retired commando who was in the special forces squad that shot them.

Former Australian Foreign Minister Gareth Evans has been appointed Chancellor of The Australian National University by the University Council today.

..."Gareth Evans has made an outstanding contribution to Australian life and international affairs over his long career. His national and international standing makes him a perfect fit for ANU," Professor Chubb said...

Matt Crook, Dili – East Timor's leaders say bringing to justice perpetrators of atrocities committed during the Indonesian army's occupation would sour relations between the neighbouring countries, but not everyone is so keen to forgive and move on.

Dili – East Timor should form its anti-corruption commission soon to support the economy and maintain people's trust in the half-island nation, President Jose Ramos-Horta said Saturday.

Daniel Flitton – East Timor has warned it will abandon a multibillion-dollar deal with Australia to exploit natural gas fields in the Timor Sea unless a pipeline is built to deliver the bounty directly to the impoverished nation.

Philip Dorling – The Defence Department has blocked the release of 34-year-old intelligence papers that would shed new light on the deaths of the Balibo Five journalists and potentially embarrass former prime minister Gough Whitlam.

David Coady – An international charity focussed on safe water and sanitation says children are dying needlessly in East Timor due to poor toilet facilities.

WaterAid Australia estimates more than 1000 children die from diarrhoea in East Timor each year and poor sanitation is a reason for this.

Guido Goulart, Dili – Families in East Timor appealed Thursday to their own government and Indonesian authorities to help recover the bodies of dozens of loved ones still missing 18 years after being gunned down in a cemetery during Jakarta's two-decade rule.

[Special correspondent Kira Kay examines East Timor's ongoing effort to rebuild itself, 10 years after winning independence from Indonesia. The report is part of the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting's Fragile States project, a partnership with the Bureau of International Reporting.]

Jakarta – Former Indonesian president BJ Habibie expressed his ire at former United Nations secretary general Kofi Annan on Monday with regard to the independence of East Timor (now Timor Leste) from Indonesia.

East Timor says it will seek compensation from Australia if its waters or shores are polluted by a leaking oil rig.

Lindsay Murdoch – Maternus Bere, a Timorese-born Indonesian citizen accused of crimes against humanity, was ushered secretly across the border from East Timor into Indonesia last weekend, ending weeks of behind-the-scenes intrigue in Dili.

AI Index: ASA 21/020/2009

Reports emerged today that Maternus Bere, an indicted militia leader charged with crimes against humanity, was returned from Timor-Leste to Indonesia last week. His transfer to West Timor robs the victims of justice, as it occurred before his case had even been prosecuted by an independent court in a fair trial.

Mark Dodd – An audit of East Timor's public finances by Darwin-based accounting firm Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu has uncovered $189 million worth of discrepancies, raising serious concerns of financial mismanagement by the Gusmao government.

Dili, East Timor – East Timor's struggle against Indonesian occupation may soon become a money maker. The government is considering plans to promote major sites of the 25-year fight for independence as part of a tourism campaign.

A suspected militia leader accused in a massacre of dozens of women, children and priests in a church in East Timor a decade ago, had been returned to Indonesia, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Friday.

Jakarta – Activists in London demanded Monday that Indonesian authorities bring to justice those responsible for killing Dutch Financial Times correspondent Sander Thoenes in then East Timor, which gained independence from Indonesia after a 1999 referendum.

IPI warns Indonesia's commitment to democracy undermined

Barbara Trionfi – Ten years after Dutch Financial Times correspondent Sander Thoenes was murdered in East Timor, participants at a commemoration held at the 'Frontline Club' in London demanded that the Indonesian authorities bring to justice those responsible for his killing.

The new Australian Commander of the International Stabilisation Force (ISF) in East Timor says there are many signs of progress in the country.

Commodore Stuart Mayer took over as the Commander of the Australian and New Zealand forces in East Timor yesterday. He says East Timor is stable, but still faces challenges.

New York – The European Union concurred with the United Nations Friday on the need to strengthen East Timor's capability to handle its own security before the UN mission there can be withdrawn.

On October 20, La'o Hamutuk sent this letter to the member of the UN Security Council in New York, together with the annex which follows below. Both are available with links and as PDF files from http://www.laohamutuk.org/Justice/09LhtoUNSCJustice.htm

Dili – East Timor's opposition Fretilin party said there had been a "huge swing" against the government in recent village or 'suco' elections, even though candidates were supposed to be independent.

Steve Holland – An East Timorese government delegation led by Prime Minster Xanana Gusmao is in China looking for support for its bid for a major gas processing plant to be built in East Timor instead of Darwin.

Belinda Lopez – In Blok AA1 of the Christian cemetery in Kebayoran Lama, an engraved headstone marks the resting place of young journalists shot by the Indonesian military.

Dili – East Timor's first joint military exercise with the United States began Wednesday with the arrival of the USS Bonhomme Richard assault ship.

Dili – East Timor's opposition stayed on the offensive Tuesday after the government survived a no-confidence vote over its decision to free an Indonesian militia leader accused of crimes against humanity.

Guido Goulart, Dili – East Timor's government faced a no-confidence vote Monday over the release at Indonesia's request of an alleged militia leader accused of war crimes in the slayings of women, children and priests in a church a decade ago.

Camelia Pasandaran – Indonesia and East Timor are trying to work out disputes over their territory by agreeing on an exact border between the two nations, a government official said on Monday.

"We are now in the process of finalizing border lines between Indonesia and East Timor," said Saut Situmorang, a spokesman for the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Dili – An East Timorese court on Friday jailed a militia leader for 32 months for his role in widespread violence that left 37 people dead and more than 100,000 displaced in 2006.

Vicente "Rai Los" da Conceicao was accused of leading a hit-squad set up by then-interior minister Regerio Lobato, allegedly tasked with eliminating government opponents.

Dili – East Timor voted on Friday in village elections seen as a test of the fledgling country's stability a decade after its historic independence referendum which led to its bloody split from Indonesia.

Dili – Pay hikes for lawmakers and high-level officials passed Thursday in East Timor are "out of proportion with the economy", the opposition National Union Party said.

"With these sorts of conditions we are creating an elitist group running the country," party leader Fernanda Borges told AFP.

Dili – Tiny East Timor reached a new low in the UN's annual measurement of human development, falling even further down the list of 182 countries measured for overall quality of life.

Matt Crook, Dili – East Timor's deputy prime minister abused his power by securing a plum United Nations job for his wife in which she was overpaid thousands of dollars, a leaked ombudsman's report alleges.

Dili – Australian Defence Minister John Faulkner visited East Timor Saturday and reiterated his country's commitment to maintaining security in the newly formed country, officials said.

Paige Taylor – Maria Reinado struggles daily with her memories of a husband and father who was unfaithful and never met their fourth child because he "loved his country too much".

"Sometimes I hate him so much," Ms Reinado said through tears at her rented unit in Perth this week.

Jon Lamb – During August and September, Australian and international media outlets ran numerous articles, opinion pieces and commentaries marking the 10 years since the people of East Timor voted for an end to the 24-year-long Indonesian military occupation. On August 30, 1999, 98% of registered voters participated in a United Nations-sponsored referendum.

Usman Hamid and Yati Andriyani, Liquisa, East Timor – Mentioning Timor Leste not only brings to mind a state that was once Indonesia's 27th province, but also a place where gross human rights violations took place before, during and after its UN-sponsored August 1999 referendum.

United Nations – East Timor's government is defending its policy of not pursuing war crimes trials for Indonesian officials responsible for thousands of deaths during their 24-year occupation of the half-island nation.

Brendan Nicholson, Foreign Affairs Correspondent – Indonesia's ambassador has asked the Australian Federal Police to explain why they are investigating the killings of five Australian-based journalists at Balibo 34 years ago.

Primo Alui Joelianto said he rang the new AFP Commissioner, Tony Negus, yesterday to discuss the investigation.

James Thomas – In seeking the truth behind the deaths of six Australian Journalists in East Timor in 1975, actor Anthony LaPaglia and Kevin Rudd have something in common.

Elisabeth Oktofani – Previously known as an area of conflict, East Timor is becoming a land of opportunity.

Indonesians often go abroad to take menial jobs such as cleaners or laborers. But in East Timor, they are able not only to create happy lives for themselves and their families, but to participate in building that country's economy.

John Aglionby, Jakarta – The final article written by Sander Thoenes before he was murdered in East Timor a decade ago on Monday was headlined: "Military's power undimmed by humiliations."

Dili – East Timor's opposition threatened on Friday to force an early election in an escalating row with the government over the release of an Indonesian militia leader accused of crimes against humanity.

Catharine Munro – An alleged victim of torture in East Timor says he regrets talking to the Australian Federal Police because he is now in danger after the man he accused flew out of Australia.

Guido Goulart, Dili – East Timor's Supreme Court is investigating top government officials over accusations they illegally released a war crimes suspect at Indonesia's request – a case that could test the constitution of Asia's youngest democracy.