The Wire

After years of brutal violence from anti-independence militias, it seems East Timor’s past may be coming back to haunt them. Violence and border tension has erupted in the vulnerable Oecussi enclave after a demarcation process that saw West Timorese lose land. The Indonesian military, infamous for supporting the militias and their smuggling activities, are turning a “blind–eye” to the recent violence. Dr Damien Kingsbury from Deakin University, recently visited the East Timor border and said the demarcation process of the border was always going to cause problems with people who lost land. He says the Indonesian government will try and “keep a lid” on the problems as they are already having enough trouble trying to maintain an appropriate standing with the international community.