Alan Howe – Legendary reporter Hugh Lunn, then an Asia correspondent for Reuters, witnessed the cruel farce of the Act of Free Choice in 1969.

"There were 400 journalists covering East Timor – there were two (in Papua), myself and a Dutchman. There were no photographers. I took pictures and sent them out by hand."

Lunn described soldiers in civilian clothes walking among villagers choosing their "representatives". "The crowd were the most solemn, angry people I've ever seen," recalled Lunn yesterday. "But they didn't have any guns."

Three young men and a teenager emerged with signs written in Indonesian calling for one man, one vote. Lunn spoke to them, but they were whisked away by armed soldiers. Later, he was told they were criminals and were in jail. Others were bashed in full view. Some were thrown over the top of army trucks and driven away.

As Lunn moved about, cowed locals would slip notes into his hand pleading for help for their country. Others made silent hand signals as if hand-cuffed, or shooting themselves in the head.

A blood-soaked letter in Lunn's room spoke of dissenters being murdered. Other notes were passed to him in shells given by fearful locals. UN staff refused to comment on the violence and intimidation.

As Lunn boarded a lifeboat to go to the ship that would take him back to Jakarta, a Papuan youth lent on Lunn's arm. "Are we going to be our own country?" he asked. "I said: 'You've got no hope'." Lunn told him that he would soon be an Indonesian. The boy burst in to tears.

Lunn taught the small group of Papuans on the boat to sing We Shall Overcome, knowing they'd need it. Some day.