Balibo is just one shameful chapter in our Indonesia's past, but it could be viewed as a symbol for so many human wrongs, for so many shameful things, that have befallen our nation. When the commander of the East Timor invasion, gen. Benny Moerdani, learned of the presence of five foreign journalists in Balibo he quickly dispatched the order through the chain of command that there were to be no witnesses to Indonesia's flouting of international law. The order trickled down through col. Dading Kalbuadi who instructed capt. Yunus Yosfiah to order his unit, the Susi Team, to "silence" all five newsmen on Oct. 16, 1975. (Aboeprijadi Santoso, Amsterdam)
Your comments:
The only person who can clarify the circumstances in which the five journalists died is Yunus Yosfiah. Why don't you consider his story? What I do not understand in this story and the discussions is that a democratic country seems to have admitted her past wrong-doings.
This is not always true. Take for example the Netherlands, the country where the author of this article and I live.
It is one of the most democratic and liberal countries, but when it comes to her bloody history in Indonesia (military campaign in Aceh, Bali, Rawagede, South Sulawesi, etc.) the government always chooses the side of the military. They categorically deny any wrongdoing. No excuse and no compensation.
Fred
Amsterdam
Balibo is just another dirty chapter in the Cold War. This article is no more than the usual rant from self-righteous Westerners or someone who's a western lackey, like the author.
Apologize? Why don't the US and Australia also apologize to Indonesia for coercing Soeharto to invade East Timor in the first place. Well I'm sure many US, Australian and other Westerners will decry that thinking as ridiculous. Those five journalists are just more poor souls who ended up in wrong place and wrong time during another Cold War game in the corner of the world.
Ananda
Jakarta
Everyone knows the truth. Why is it so hard to just admit it? Admit that they were murdered. Why is it so hard for Indonesians to do this? I don't think anyone is asking for an apology, but at least cooperating in an investigation would help right a wrong.
If Indonesia has issues with Australia and the US, then bring them up and give them a "please explain" letter. This especially concerns those responsible for this possible war crime and who are important members of Indonesia's government and society. They've never faced justice.
Iain
Jakarta
The former Indonesian foreign minister Adam Malik said the number of dead in the first two years to 1977 was "50,000 or perhaps 80,000 people". Amnesty International estimates that 33 percent of East Timor's population, or 200,000 in total, died from military action, starvation and disease from 1975 to 1999.
Bingung
Jakarta
