Negligent Neighbour: New Zealand's Complicity in the Invasion and Occupation of Timor-LesteFor almost a quarter century from 1975-1999 the people of East Timor lived and died under Indonesia's colonial yoke. During this time East Timor lost a quarter of its population and its people endured daily violence and fear. Against all the odds East Timor's resistance survived. Indonesia relied on western support for both the invasion and occupation of East Timor, but New Zealand's role is often forgotten or mentioned only in passing. Negligent Neighbour reveals that story. Using declassified official documents, historical research, records of the New Zealand solidarity movement, interviews with some key players and personal recollections and experiences, Maire Leadbeater has aimed to shine a light in a very dark place - the history of New Zealand's support for the invasion and occupation of East Timor. East Timor's tragedy raises deep questions about the ties that bind New Zealand to the foreign policy directions set by the United States and Australia. A small nation was cynically sacrificed to suit the geo-political agenda of the West. Negligent Neighbour exposes what went wrong in the past in the interests of putting things right in the present. |
Contents
Historical Outline | 18 |
East Timor at the crossroads | 30 |
The invasion is imminent | 50 |
Copyright | |
11 other sections not shown
Common terms and phrases
activists Affairs and Trade Amnesty APEC ASEAN Auckland August Australian Balibo Bolger cable to Ministry campaign Canberra Colin Iles Commission for Reception Conference death December Defence Attaché delegation demonstrations Dili diplomatic Don McKinnon East Timor East Timor Action East Timor Independence Embassy Jakarta forces Foreign Affairs Foreign Minister Fretilin Helen Clark Helen Todd human rights Indonesian military invasion Jakarta Jose Ramos Horta journalists July Kamal's killed Labour leaders letter March Matt Robson meeting memo militia Minister of Defence Ministry of Foreign November October officials organisation Pacific Party Peren Phil Goff political Portugal Portuguese Timor Prime Minister programme Relations and Trade resistance resolution role Rowling Santa Cruz massacre Secretary of Foreign Security Council self-determination September solidarity Suharto Timor-Leste Timorese tion troops Truth and Reconciliation United Nations visited East Timor Wellington West Papua western Xanana Gusmao Zealand Ambassador Zealand Embassy Zealand Government Zealand Herald