Negotiating Indonesia: Political Genealogies of Timorese Democracy

Indonesians remember East Timor: Exploring East Timor integration and separation from Indonesia and Indonesia’s past transgressions.

“…A previous study focused on the political and sociological relationships between East Timor and Indonesia (Nygaard-Christensen, 2013), and another study explored the role played by East Timorese youth in the resistance movement against Indonesia’s occupation (Bexley & Tchailoro, 2013). Another study that used a psychological perspective found that ex-East Timor refugees living in Indonesia were mostly unhappy with their current state of living (Kamsi & Julianto, 2023).…”

“…Additionally, up to 4,500 children were taken and adopted by Indonesian military officers, leading to family separations that persist to the present day (Donovan, 2019). Approximately 450,000 or 75% of the population were displaced during the transition process in 1999 (Niksch et al, 2001). Despite these events, the occupation and atrocities remain taboo in public discourse in Indonesia (Kiernan, 2002).…”

Activism, Research, and Ownership in a New Nation: A Review of the East Timor Action Network Email List

“…Elsewhere, I have shown how both researchers and activists have been highly vocal in debates on language in Timor‐Leste, and in discussions about which languages—Tetun, Portuguese, Indonesian, English, or a combination of these—would be appropriate as national languages (Nygaard‐Christensen, ). Recently, the issue was raised anew in a prolonged, heated debate on the ETAN email list.…”

“…Unlike the language debate, this particular discussion contained few disagreements between participants, most of whom were joined in displeasure and agreement that a fast‐food restaurant was hardly what Timor‐Leste needed. While it is not my intention to pit external and internal notions of what constitutes Timorese national identity against each other—each is characterized by contestation and disagreement—I would suggest that such western introductions to Timor‐Leste are often experienced as more controversial by external commentators and onlookers than they are domestically, where dreams of a modern nation are articulated in both political campaigns and strategies by constituents (Nygaard‐Christensen, ).…”

Divided Loyalties: Displacement, belonging and citizenship among East Timorese in West Timor

“…Timor-Leste and Indonesia appeared to remain intricately entwined at social, political, cultural and personal levels (Bexley 2009;Bexley and Nygaard-Christensen 2013;Nygaard-Christensen 2013;Peake et al 2014). With Timor-Leste gearing up to become a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), much freer movement across members' borders will be guaranteed.…”