East Timor

I had to go to Dili for work in 2000. It was super interesting but super depressing.

Ironically enough I learnt about Timor Loro Sae through my interest, study and travels in Indonesia (which was also the case for their first lady Kirsty Sword Gusmao).

While I really like the Indonesian people I have met, and love their culture, there is no way of condoning their history in East Timor. I try to maintain a divide in my head between the government (more so the past soeharto government) and military, and the people as individuals and a community. Soeharto was never really elected, so you can’t blame the people for him, and there was a lot of brainwashing and media censorship going on for a long long time. But still, it’s so sad what has happened there.

I first heard of Timor as a dangerous place, without hearing much else. Then I started to hear of the violence, the Santa Cruz massacre, the takover in 1975. Incidentally my dad went there when it was still run by the portuguese – and they didn’t treat it fantastically either, but i’ve heard they weren’t as bad as the indonesian government. Then out of nowhere the soeharto government fell and Habibi was pretty much forced by international pressure to agree to the independence/autonomy referrendum, but had no control over the military and militias, and military involvement with the militias (or will to control? i’m not sure which), but despite everything, they finally got independence!!! 73% of the vote, with 90% of eligible voters registering. Considering the circumstances I think they have done well since independence, despite poverty and the recent conflict – when you consider they were left with pretty much nothing but a history of violence (and that we screwed them over the timor gap treaty).

Through all this, it sounds like a beautiful place (the beaches and mountains), with beautiful people.

Viva Timor Loro Sae!

I played my tiny part in kicking out Indonesia by writing letters and joining a couple protests. Sadly the country is still quite impoverished. I’d like to see it myself to get a better understanding.

I did volunteer work here for about 4 months just after the indonesian military raped and pillaged the place, just after independance. There wasn’t one single East Timorese person who doesn’t know someone who was killed or just vanished. I traveled around a bit on an old motorcycle with no brakes or lights. There are no road rules. I didn’t have to wear a helmet, which was good, but I got a sunburnt head, which was bad. It has very large mountains in the middle of the country, which make for spectacular scenery. I got hassled by the UN Peacekeeping forces a bit, they weren’t expecting any sightseers on dilapidated motorcycles in far flung corners of the country. I almost got in big trouble when I crossed a bridge to the Indonesian border to ask the indo border guys if I could get a photo with them. This big army guy came running over and was yelling and stuff. Apparently the border was closed and I was in danger of being shot or something. When he found out I didn’t have a passport on me it looked like he was going to arrest me. I eventually pursuaded him to hang on to my (Australian) drivers license while I walked over to the indo border guys (playing guitar and snoozing in the sun) to get the photo. When these guys saw the camera they jumped up, put their shirts back on and stood to attention for the photo, it made me laugh. They were just kids really, younger than me at the time.

I saw several places where massacres had happened. Everyone had a gruesome story about something, so much suffering.

I was volunteering with an organisation called the Ryder Cheshire Foundation, who are probably still looking for volunteers if anyone is interested. I went over in early 2001, before elections.

Another thing that amazed me was that you could stop in the middle of nowhere, with absolutely no one around and in 30 seconds there is a crowd of people standing around looking at you. Uncanny. I just don’t understand where they came from.

Go there if you have a chance, it really made me appreciate western luxuries we take for granted.

Used to be part of Indonesia. Totally laidback. Recommended by an American friend who lives in Singapore. You could do some fun and cheap scuba & diving here.