Covering East Timor

TL;DR

In 1991, journalists witnessed a massacre in East Timor, highlighting US support for human rights abuses.

Transcript

i went to east timor in 1990 and 1991 with my colleague ellen there and in 1991 well we were there in the midst of one of the worst genocides of the 20th century uh indonesia's occupation of east timor indonesia invaded east timor december 7th 1975. their military was armed trained financed by the united states they invaded this small island nation... Read More

Key Insights

• 🇹🇱 The journalists witnessed the Indonesian occupation of East Timor and its violent aftermath.
• 🎖️ The massacre in East Timor highlighted the complicity of the US government in supporting the Indonesian military.
• 🌍 International pressure and grassroots movements were spurred by the journalists' account of the massacre.
• 🫵 The East Timorese people viewed Americans as both the sword (government) and the shield (individuals).
• 🗯️ The journalists' experience in East Timor fueled their activism against arming human rights-abusing regimes.
• 🇹🇱 The East Timor genocide resulted in significant casualties and atrocities.
• 🥳 The birth of East Timor as a nation came after a long struggle for independence.

Questions & Answers

Q: What event in East Timor did the journalists witness in 1991?

The journalists witnessed a massacre where Indonesian military opened fire on Timorese protestors during a procession in Dilly, resulting in hundreds of deaths.

Q: How did the journalists' presence impact the situation in East Timor?

The journalists' eyewitness account of the massacre raised international awareness, leading to grassroots movements against arming human rights-abusing regimes, including Indonesia.

Q: Why did the East Timorese people refer to Americans as the "shield"?

The East Timorese people saw Americans as the shield due to the US government's role in arming and supporting the Indonesian military, despite also recognizing Americans as individuals separate from their government's actions.

Q: How did the journalists' experience in East Timor influence their activism?

The journalists' experience in East Timor drove them to advocate against arming human rights-abusing regimes, leading to increased activism and awareness on the issue.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• In 1990 and 1991, journalists witnessed the aftermath of the Indonesian occupation of East Timor.

• Indonesian military opened fire on Timorese protestors, killing hundreds, including journalists.

• The journalists' account spurred international outrage and grassroots movements against arming human rights-abusing regimes.