Day 51 - a mobile, a cemetery and a museum - Unfinished Business - CycleBlaze

June 20, 2023

Day 51 - a mobile, a cemetery and a museum

The slow internet beat me last night. I need a particular email account and it requires authentication. Time-out messages appeared frequently. Thus, I got up early, when the internet is quieter, and tried again. I made a little progress over four hours before deciding that I'd feel much better if I saw more of Dili.

I jumped on a microlet and went to Santa Cruz cemetery where, on November 12 1991, the Indonesian military murdered at least 250 East Timorese pro-independence demonstrators. It followed a memorial service for Sebastião Gomes, who was murdered by the Indonesians a couple of weeks earlier.

Sebastião Gomes' headstone at Santa Cruz cemetery
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What the Indonesians did not allow for was the guile of photographer, Max Stahl. As soldiers advanced on a peaceful protest, he filmed inside the cemetery among the dead, and then buried the film in a grave. After being questioned for nine hours, he returned under cover of darkness, to exhume the footage. Within days of it being smuggled from the country, it appeared on television worldwide and changed history.

The place where Max Stahl's ashes are buried
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Graham SmithWell done Max. Shows how important telling the story is, especially if powerful images are included.
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10 months ago
Ian WallisTo Graham SmithGraham It was quite the operation. He sensibly gave the tapes to someone else - a Dutch woman, to get out of the country. This probably explains why they were broadcast first on Dutch TV.
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10 months ago
You won't find a more crowded cemetery.
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I asked a worker to show me Sebastião Gomes grave. We walked across many graves to get there because there are few paths. It felt wrong.

Very close to Santa Cruz cemetery is a Portuguese-era prison where the Indonesians interned Timorese resistance fighters. It's now the home of Centro Nacional Chega, essentially a human rights museum, documenting the fight for independence. Chega means ENOUGH in English - an apt name. Pictures tell the story.

Innocuous enough from the outside
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A dark cell with messages scrawled by prisoners
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There's recent works of art, many optimistic. This one is most pertinent for Australians
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The memorial garden
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I left about 4 PM and had not had lunch. As I headed towards the beachfront, looking for food, I spotted this old fellow, in his Fretlin shirt.  He was delighted to be photographed. 

What stories does he hold?
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Rate this entry's writing Heart 6
Comment on this entry Comment 4
Robin BrownI think you might have to write an article for publication somewhere, at least in the indigo foundation journal, on your visit to Timor Leste
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10 months ago
Jackie LaycockAs always an evocative summary of your day's adventures. It somehow feels wrong to be liking the photos that have such significance for the Timor Leste people, not because they aren't good photos but rsther that pressing a little heart seems to be a facile reaction. Thanks for sharing.
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10 months ago
Ian WallisTo Robin BrownYes, good point. I'm keeping my normal journal so I have plenty of material.
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10 months ago
Ian WallisTo Jackie LaycockJackie - I agree entirely. I could launch a huge discussion on this point. Why shouldn't we like a photo that changes the world regardless of how difficult it is to view?
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10 months ago