East Timor at the Crossroads: The Forging of a Nation - Hardcover

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0824817877 ISBN 13: 9780824817879

Publisher: University of Hawai'i Press, 1995

Synopsis

In a rapidly changing post-Cost War world, where many age-old conflicts and injustices are at last being put to rights, East Timor stands out as a still unresolved tragedy. In the past twenty years (1975-95), this former Portuguese colony has been under Indonesian military occupation, an occupation responsible for the death of over 200,000 of its inhabitants (a third of its pre-1975 population) and the destruction of much of its indigenous society. Yet, despite enormous odds, the people of East Timor continue to fight for the independence which was denied them in the mid-1970s. Twenty years on, there is now a very real chance for a new beginning in East Timor.

This book, which brings together contributions by both East Timorese and Western specialists of East Timor, provides a compelling account of the process by which a once isolated and traditional society has been forged into a nation with a deep sense of its own identity rooted it its unique religious, cultural, linguistic, and historical heritage. Indonesia is at last beginning to realize the cost of Third World colonialism, and its Western allies are becoming less tolerant of its 'security state' methods. The last section of this book considers the new diplomatic initiatives which are currently in train, under the auspices of the UN, to bring about a resolution to the Timor problem without jeopardizing the integrity of the Indonesian Republic. An extensive bibliography of titles on East Timor published between 1970 and 1994 will prove especially useful for scholars.

About this title

Synopsis

Since the mid-1970s, the former Portuguese colony of East Timor has been under Indonesian military occupation, which has been responsible for the deaths of over 200,000 people, a third of the 1974 population. Yet, against enormous odds, the people of East Timor have continued to fight for their independence. This book provides compelling accounts by Timorese and Western specialists of the process by which a once isolated and traditional society has been forged into a nation with a deep sense of its own identity shaped by its unique religious, cultural, linguistic and historical heritage.

Edition details

• Publisher: University of Hawai'i Press
• Publication date: 1995
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0824817877
• ISBN 13: 9780824817879
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 280
• Editor: Carey Peter, Bentley G. Carter