East Timor still searches for justice, 50 years after Indonesian invasion

Al JazeeraCenterEN 9 min read 100% complete by Ali MCNovember 29, 2025 at 12:26 AM

AI Summary

long article 9 min

East Timor is still seeking justice 50 years after Indonesia's invasion in 1975. The country declared independence from Portugal in November of that year, but was swiftly occupied by Indonesia. Berta dos Santos and her mother Helena were among those who suffered at the hands of Indonesian soldiers, including violent rape and forced sexual slavery. Indonesia's occupation lasted for 24 years, marked by massacres, forced starvation, and torture. The country's resistance to occupation was led by figures such as Ximenes, but ultimately resulted in widespread human rights abuses. Today, East Timor continues to grapple with the legacy of its tumultuous past, seeking justice and accountability for those responsible for the atrocities committed during Indonesia's occupation.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Helena 50% Berta dos Santos 60% Indonesia ×570% East Timor ×980%

Keywords

east timor independence 80% indonesian occupation 70% sexual violence 60% human rights abuses 50% portuguese colonialism 50% east timor occupation timeline 40% indonesian invasion 40%

Sentiment Analysis

Very Negative

Score: -0.80

Source Transparency

Source

Al Jazeera

Political Lean

Center (0.00)

Far LeftCenterFar Right

Classification Confidence

90%

Geographic Perspective

East Timor

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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east timor independence indonesian occupation sexual violence human rights abuses portuguese colonialism east timor occupation timeline indonesian invasion

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