Jude Conway – The hardships endured by the East Timorese are detailed in a memoir by Dr Vacy Vlazna, both a story of courage and a political analysis.
Occupation & Armed Resistance
Displaying 1 - 50 of 265 Documents
July 18, 2024
April 5, 2024
Ahmad Syamsudin, Dili, Timor-Leste – At Timor-Leste's museum of memory, Hugo Fernandes supervises exhibits chronicling resistance and oppression during the Indonesian occupation – an er
March 2, 2024
John Martinkus – Indonesia's president-elect, Prabowo Subianto, has form.
January 1, 2024
[In this 1999 piece, the late journalist reported from East Timor on how its people were abandoned by the West as they faced genocide at the hands of Indonesia's Suharto.]
December 9, 2023
In recognition of his contribution to East Timor's freedom struggle, President Ramos Horta awarded Sri Lankan civil activist and journalist Freddie Gamage with the highest award of the
November 30, 2023
Alex de Jong – In 1999, after almost a quarter century of Indonesian occupation, the small country of East Timor finally gained its independence.
October 3, 2022
A Catholic nun in Timor-Leste has bagged a human rights award for her role during the nation's independence struggle and for her service to end violence against women and children and o
June 24, 2022
Inday Espina-Varona – Augusto "Gus" Miclat's experience as an activist and peace builder in Mindanao during the years of struggle against the Marcos dictatorship grounded him while help
May 20, 2022
Putu Indah S, Nabil Ihsan – "Every drop of blood shed in the Motherland will never be forgotten; it will be remembered under the red-and-white banner."
Alex Soares with Luke Henriques-Gomes – This week, Timor-Leste celebrates 20 years of independence.
December 16, 2021
Ryan Dagur, Jakarta – Catholic-majority Timor-Leste is paying a special tribute to the late journalist Max Stahl in recognition of his exemplary work and contribution to the independenc
November 21, 2021
Felicity James – Maria Jose was at the Santa Cruz cemetery in Timor-Leste 30 years ago when Indonesian soldiers opened fire.
November 12, 2021
On the 30th anniversary of the Santa Cruz massacre, the East Timor and Indonesia Action Network (ETAN) urges the international community to end impunity for the human rights crimes comm
September 9, 2021
Lisa Palmer – The 1999 withdrawal of Indonesia and its military from East Timor eventually ushered in a Timorese – and United Nations – mandated truth and reconciliation process.
July 7, 2020
Anne Barker – In the shadow of the whitewashed Catholic church in Ainaro, Timor-Leste, Kalistru walked down the steps onto the dusty road. He was just a boy, eight years old.
February 26, 2020
Nick Miller – "When you start singing those songs, the whole memory comes back to us," says former East Timor freedom fighter Domingos Gabriel.
December 31, 2019
Dili – The body of Timor-Leste's first prime minister, Nicolau dos Reis Lobato has never been found. He was killed by the Indonesian military on 31 December 1978.
December 17, 2019
Ivo Mateus Goncalves – On 28 November 1975, East Timor's interim government unilaterally declared its independence from all forms of colonialism and exploitation.
September 12, 2019
Dili – The prison in the six interconnected bungalows of Comarca became notorious during the 24 years that Indonesia occupied East Timor.
November 19, 2018
Estevao Nuno – The 12 November Committee working with the Forensic Police Unit has been able to recover the remains of 16 victims of the 12 November 1991 Santa Massacre in Dili.
November 8, 2018
Morgan Fincher – On November 12, 1991, the Indonesian military shot and killed over 250 Timorese citizens in the Santa Cruz Cemetery in Dili, Timor-Leste's capital.
May 16, 2018
Edward Cavanough, Dili – Timor Leste headed to the polls on May 12 in its second general election in as many years, with the opposition coalition of parties led by the National Congress
May 7, 2018
Helen Davidson – Newly declassified documents have revealed that Australia appeared driven by a desire for oil and gas rights when it was deciding to legitimise the Indonesian occupatio
April 24, 2018
Mary Aileen Bacalso, Manila – In predominantly Catholic Timor-Leste, which is battling an exploding population, an estimated 4,500 children were plucked from the bosom of their families
March 7, 2018
Peter Job – As announced by the Permanent Court of Arbitration on February 25, there appears to be hope at last for a settlement of the prolonged legal battle between Australia and Timo
February 21, 2018
Anne Barker – For a man held up as a national hero, relatively little is written about Nicolau dos Reis Lobato – especially outside East Timor.
December 20, 2017
Krithika Varagur in Aileu, Timor-Leste – It was 39 years since Kauka had last walked up the steep dirt road to her house in the Timor-Leste highlands, a lifetime since she was taken by an Indonesia
December 7, 2017
Suffering for the East Timorese and great shame for Australia
November 27, 2017
Jakarta, Indonesia and Dili, Timor-Leste – "I feel reborn today," said Antonio Ximenes in the car on the way to the airport in Bali.
November 10, 2017
Mary Boland, Dili - November 12th, 1991. As day breaks, an eerie quiet hangs over Santa Cruz Cemetery in Dili, East Timor.
August 11, 2017
Adam Henry – Archival documents show the British Government – like Australia and the U.S. – actively assisted Indonesia cover up crimes against humanity in East Timor. Dr Adam Henry reports.
May 31, 2017
Lisa Martin – Australian peacekeepers led an international force that helped curtail the carnage and bloodshed in the aftermath of East Timor's vote for independence.
March 26, 2017
When she was only five years old, Isabelina Pinto was taken from her family by an Indonesian soldier.
December 21, 2016
Pamela Sexton, Dili, Timor-Leste – Recently, thousands of U.S.
November 23, 2016
Paulina Quintao – Timor-Leste President Taur Matan Ruak used commemorations for the 25th anniversary of the Santa Cruz massacre to call on young people to study and work hard towards a better futur
November 18, 2016
Paulina Quintao – The November 12 Committee has worked with the government to identify the remains of 12 people killed in the Santa Cruz massacre 25 years ago.
November 13, 2016
David Webster – Digging into the archival records isn't purely academic. It can tell us why governments make the decisions they did – and suggest ways to influence future government decisions.
November 12, 2016
Saturday marks the 25th anniversary of the Santa Cruz massacre on November 12, 1991.
October 20, 2016
Paulina Quintao – The government through the Secretariat of State for Youth and Sport (SSYS) has allocated $120,499.25 to the November 12 organizing committee for National Youth Day, held to commem
October 12, 2016
Jack Kerr for Earshot – If someone was to make an Australian version of Forrest Gump, they might look to Brian Manning's life story for inspiration.
September 1, 2016
Ryan Dagur and Siktus Harson, Jakarta – Rights groups have said the governments of Indonesia and Timor-Leste have failed to find, document and reunite Timorese separated from their families when th
August 31, 2016
Jakarta – "I had mixed feelings of sadness and anger when I learned that I already had my own grave in Timor Leste," Victor da Costa, 41, said on Tuesday.
June 20, 2016
Venidora Oliveira – There are calls for the Indonesian government to take serious action to locate thousands of Timorese people that went missing between 1975 and 1999.
May 27, 2016
Galuh Wandita, Jakarta – "See this scar? I did that!" Peals of laughter and bright smiles erupt as Rosa's brother touches her forehead gently, brushing an almost invisible scar.
May 25, 2016
Tama Salim, Dili – "I want to hug and kiss my mother," said Muhammad Yaqub, born Manuel da Costa, shortly before traveling home to Timor Leste after 25 years of living in Balikpapan, East Kalimanta
May 20, 2016
Nelson Da Cruz, Dili, Timor Leste – Timor Leste President Taur Matan Ruak says the return of 14 Timorese people who were removed to Indonesia during the former country's war of independence marks t
April 27, 2016
Brian Bennion – Timorese resistance fighter Mario Nicolau dos Reis spent 17 years as a political prisoner in an Indonesian jail before the Australian-led peacekeeping force came to the aid of his p
April 12, 2016
Thomas Ora, Dili, Timor Leste – Timor-Leste Prime Minister Rui Maria de Araujo has praised late Bishop Alberto Ricardo da Silva of Dili, as well as other Catholic clergy, nuns and religious for the
April 11, 2016
Review by Ian Sinclair – "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world.
April 1, 2016
Vannessa Hearman and Jose da Costa – In 1995, 18 East Timorese youths sailed illegally to Australia in a small fishing boat. After five nights at sea they reached Australian waters.