Dimensions
154 x 233 x 23mm
A new and different book about the world's newest nation.
Australian humanitarian aid leader David Scott was at the centre of East Timor's struggle for independence. He was in Dili when the Indonesians invaded in 1975, escaping with José Ramos-Horta to help rally international support against the brutal act of aggression.
In this book, David Scott provides a refreshingly human dimension to the Timor story rather than the geo-political or nationalist perspectives of other works. His writing is exciting, suspenseful and brimming with characters from politics, media and diplomacy and especially the leaders and foot soldiers of the struggle for independence: José Ramos-Horta, Bishop Belo (both recipients of the Nobel Peace Prize) and Xanana Gusmao, now President.
David Scott explains why, despite the harsh repression of their homeland, the East Timorese freedom fighters refused to resort to terrorism, and instead fought a 25 year guerilla war against the Indonesian army.
A major strength of the book is an historical perspective embracing the invasion of East Timor by Australian troops in the Second world War to halt the Japanese advance and the protection of Australian troops by the East Timorese people at great personal risk.
