In Dili, more than 10,000 East Timorese marched through the streets on November 12 in a solemn commemoration of friends and relatives killed in the 1991 massacre by Indonesian troops at the Santa Cruz cemetery. It was the first such commemoration since 1991.
The day started with a mass at the Motael Church, conducted by Bishop Carlos Belo. The thousands who attended then retraced the footsteps of the fateful march eight years ago.
The Indonesian government still claims that only 50 people were killed in the massacre. However, church, human rights and solidarity organisations have proved beyond doubt that 271 were killed at Santa Cruz, and that at least another 200 were murdered by the Indonesian military in the weeks that followed.
Commemorations were also held across Australia. From Melbourne, Vannessa Hearman reports that the commemoration took place outside the Indonesian consulate. As the sun went down in glorious colours over Albert Park lake, candles were lit to remember those killed.
East Timorese refugees housed at Puckapunyal military base were present in large numbers and led the singing of "Foho Ramelau", a traditional song which has become a Falintil struggle song, while the crowd stood and raised their fists in the air.
Chaired by Joaquim Santos and Etervina Groenen from the National Council of Timorese Resistance (CNRT), the evening began with Alex Tilman, a Melbourne University student and Fretilin member, recounting the history of Timorese resistance to Indonesian rule. He said, "1975 was an important year for us and in many ways the year marked the beginning of the next phase of our struggle, following centuries of resistance to Portuguese rule".
Liz Wheeler from the Sanctuary Network told the crowd that the Australian government will make a statement before November 19 about the status of the 1650 East Timorese asylum seekers here.
Statements from Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs (DIMA) lawyers had raised hopes that the asylum seekers may be granted special visas to stay, but there are now rumours that the government may be intending to pressure them to return to East Timor.
Wheeler encouraged the crowd to attend a rally outside the DIMA office in Casselden Place on November 20, saying, "If the news is good, bring champagne and food and we'll dance in the streets; if the news is bad, bring placards and your anger to vent at the government".
A "People's Inquiry" into Australian governments' complicity in the genocide in East Timor, an initiative of Action in Solidarity with Indonesia and East Timor (ASIET), was launched at the commemoration. Groups were invited to submit testimony and participate in the first session in Melbourne on December 13.
East Timorese refugees cheered when an ASIET member, speaking in Indonesian, said that the collaboration between the Indonesian and Australian governments must not be forgotten and that its deadly consequences must not be allowed to be repeated in Aceh, West Papua or anywhere else.
The continuous East Timor vigil outside the Indonesian consulate will continue until all refugees have been repatriated from West Timor.
Other speakers included Leigh Hubbard, secretary of the Victorian Trades Hall Council, who praised the solidarity movement for putting East Timor firmly on the national political agenda, and Carolyn Graydon from Amnesty International.
Brendan Doyle reports that Sydney's commemoration was at times sombre, at times joyful, as several hundred East Timorese and their supporters, including a large contingent of refugees from the East Hills camp, many of them children, attended a requiem mass at St Mary's Cathedral in the city.
A youthful Timorese choir began the service, much of which was in Tetum. Bishop David Cremin reminded people that the East Timorese had been "led like lambs to the slaughter by international diplomacy" before they finally won their freedom. He also said great pressure is urgently needed to allow the refugees in West Timor to return home and to safeguard the status of the asylum seekers in Australia.
Later, on the steps of the cathedral, in bright sunshine, a symbolic "people's citizenship" presentation for East Timorese asylum seekers was held.
Judy Chester from Tranby Aboriginal College presented well-known Timorese singer and activist Naldo Rai with a large certificate recognising the great contribution made by the East Timorese to Australian society. She said the Aboriginal people have always supported the East Timorese struggle for independence.
Rai responded by saying that the solidarity and support from Australians over the last 24 years had finally borne fruit and contributed to the spirit of peace and humanity, in spite of the immense destruction carried out by the Indonesian military.
Sister Susan Connolly ended the proceedings by calling on the Australians present to sing "For they are jolly good fellows" to the Timorese, to celebrate the birth of the independent nation of East Timor.
Greetings from solidarity groups to the Timorese people were read out, including one from the Australian Acehnese Association which spoke of the Acehnese people's fight for independence from Indonesia.
From Lismore, Nick Fredman reports that 100 people attended a rally organised by the Friends of East Timor. Dili massacre witness and long-time solidarity activist Russell Anderson told the rally about the events of November 12, 1991, and about his experiences during the independence referendum.
Anderson said that despite the bloodshed and devastation, the East Timorese had defeated, against incredible odds, the combined might of the Indonesian military and the dictatorship backed by Western governments and oil companies. East Timorese independence was a "victory for the struggle for independence and justice around the world", he said.
Kath O'Driscoll from ASIET described Australian governments' 24 years of complicity in the genocide in East Timor. She announced a public hearing to be held on Human Rights Day, December 10, as part of ASIET's People's Inquiry.
Following the rally, a well-attended benefit raised more than $900 for aid projects in East Timor.
From Perth, Sarah Stephen reports that 200 East Timorese refugees housed at the Leeuwin army barracks in East Fremantle participated enthusiastically in the rally there. The event was organised by the CNRT, ASIET and Community Aid Abroad.
A Catholic mass was held, followed by a procession through Northbridge. The rally afterwards was addressed by speakers representing the CNRT, the refugees and ASIET, and was followed by a performance of traditional East Timorese dance and song, and singing by Australian solidarity activists.
The previous issue of Green Left Weekly reported that in response to DIMA attempts to deport the East Timorese refugees before their three-month temporary visas had expired, refugees at Leeuwin threatened a hunger strike. Since then, the government has moved swiftly to quell the potential controversy, sending a representative to meet with the refugees.
The government has since said the situation was one of "mis-communication" and that the UN High Commissioner for Refugees had told the government that conditions had improved sufficiently in East Timor for people to return. The 400 refugees at Leeuwin are being encouraged to place their names on a register for "voluntary repatriation". More than 50 have returned to East Timor in the last few weeks.