Timor: A Nation Reborn

by Bill Nicol

The geopolitical landscape of Southeast Asia has been dramatically re-shaped with the emergence of East Timor as the world's newest nation. Like a phoenix, East Timor has risen triumphantly from the ashes of Indonesian invasion and occupation. But it has paid a heavy price for its independence. Hundreds of thousands perished in the bloody struggle for power waged between the competing Timorese political factions following the collapse of Portuguese colonial rule and the David-and-Goliath struggle with Indonesia that followed. While this journey to independence ended with East Timor’s referendum in August 1999, it began with Portugal’s abandonment a quarter of a century earlier. A Nation Reborn revisits that crucial period in history and the pursuit of power by individuals and factions competing for local dominance, as well as regional giants conspiring to fulfill their own political agendas. TIMOR is a story of lies, deceit, intrigue, naiveté and suffering. It is a human story with tragic consequences compellingly documented first-hand by author Bill Nicol.

352 pages, Paperback

First published May 15, 2002

Reviews

[Henning Hj · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is definitely one of the most balanced and well argued books I've read on Timor-Leste. Nothing is presented as black and white and no knights in shining armour are left standing. The author seems to have had, and lost, a naive positivism for the decolonisation and I can't but think that his time in Timor-Leste gave him a much more cynical outlook on the world in general.

Where most descriptions of the struggles in East Timor tend to put the blame more or less solely on Jakarta and Apodeti, with Australia and the world as bad guys in supporting roles, Nicol argues that the Portuguese were more or less cynically pushing history towards what finally happened. I'm also pretty sure he will never be on the Fretilin Christmas card list ...

For content I'd give it full score, but repetitions and typos that could have been fixed by the editor or proofreaders dampened my enthusiasm a bit. Still, the book should definitely be on the reading list for anyone with a deep interest in Timor-Leste.

[Kevin · Rating 3 out of 5]

The more you read about Timor Leste, the more incredible you realise it has survived against the odds.