Alyssa Braithwaite, Melbourne – East Timorese President Jose Ramos Horta hopes the new movie Balibo, about the murder of six Australian journalists in 1975, prompts world leaders to learn from past mistakes.
But the Nobel Peace Prize winner doesn't expect those guilty for the crime to be brought to justice any time soon.
Speaking at the launch of the political thriller, Dr Horta said he hoped Balibo would inspire world leaders to be moral in their conduct of foreign policy.
"I hope that the film, if anything, help Indonesians, help Australians, help us do some soul searching and learn from this tragic chapter of our history," Dr Horta told journalists.
"I hope that the enormous price paid by the East Timorese, paid by the six (Australians) will help leaders elsewhere to try to always put principles and morality and decency above expediency."
Dr Horta said Australia had turned a "blind eye to blatant situations of human rights abuses" during Indonesia's 24-year occupation of East Timor and urged leaders not to let it happen again.
"Australia can work with Indonesia for instance... help bring an end to that ugly situation in Myanmar – Burma," he said. "Here is where Australia can be more proactive and not only be happy with occasional statements."
Robert Connolly's film Balibo tells the story surrounding the execution of five Australia-based journalists during Indonesia's invasion of East Timor. Actor Anthony LaPaglia plays another Australian journalist, Roger East, who was killed when he went to East Timor to investigate the deaths.
While a 2007 coronial inquest found that Indonesian forces shot and stabbed the five television journalists, Ramos-Horta said there was little point pushing for a war crimes tribunal to investigate the deaths.
"We are dealing with a still powerful neighbour," he told the ABC. "It is highly unlikely that any government in Indonesia in the foreseeable future (would) feel strong enough to bring to trial surviving Indonesian military officers who perpetrated barbarities in East Timor."
On Friday Indonesian foreign ministry spokesman Teuku Faizasyah said Balibo wouldn't change anything as far as Indonesia was concerned.
"The film may stir some controversy in Australia, but for us, it's a finished problem, case closed," he said. "Because the fact is the Australian government itself has stated it was an accident, that they were in the wrong place at the wrong time."
Dr Horta, who is portrayed as a young man by actor Oscar Isaac, said the film would bring a bit of justice to the six Australians killed and to the people of East Timor by telling their story.
He added that watching it ahead of the world premiere in Melbourne on Friday night was difficult for him. "Watching Balibo... we go back to 35 years ago almost like you are (having a) flashback and reliving what I thought I had forgotten about," he said.