What happened in Balibo?
On 16 October 40 years ago, a team of Indonesian soldiers murdered five Australian-based journalists in the village of Balibo in what is now Timor-Leste. Those journalists were Greg Shackleton, Malcolm Rennie, Brian Peters, Gary Cunningham and Tony Stewart.
What is the movie Balibo about?
Roger East and Jose Ramos-Horta travel to East Timor to investigate the Balibo Five murders.
Balibo/Film synopsis
Who killed Balibo 5?
Roger East travelled to Balibo soon after to investigate the likely deaths of the Five and was later executed by members of the Indonesian military on the docks of Dili. In 2007, an Australian coroner ruled that they had been deliberately killed by Indonesian special forces soldiers.
Is East Timor A Independence?
On 20 May 2002, the Constitution of the Democratic Republic of East Timor came into force and East Timor was recognised as independent by the UN. On 27 September 2002, East Timor was renamed Timor-Leste, using the Portuguese language, and was admitted as a member state by the UN.
When was Balibo 5 killed?
16th October 1975
The five were murdered by Indonesian forces on 16th October 1975. It took nearly a month for the Australian Government to confirm the fate of the journalists, amidst an outcry from the Australian public over their deaths and the Australian Government’s response to the invasion of East Timor.
What happened Witness K?
The former Australian spy dubbed Witness K has been given a three-month suspended sentence for conspiring to reveal classified information about an alleged spying operation during oil and gas treaty negotiations between Australia and East Timor.
Is Witness K in jail?
Witness K spared jail after pleading guilty to breaching secrecy laws over Timor-Leste bugging. Witness K has been spared jail time for his role in exposing Australia’s 2004 bugging of Timor-Leste with a Canberra court finding he appeared to be motivated by justice not personal gain.
Who are the Balibo Five and what did they do?
The Balibo Five was a group of journalists for Australian television networks who were killed in the period leading up to the Indonesian invasion of East Timor. The Balibo Five were based in the town of Balibo in East Timor (then Portuguese Timor), where they were killed on 16 October 1975 during Indonesian incursions before the invasion.
Where is Balibo town in East Timor located?
Balibo is a town in East Timor situated approximately 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) from the Indonesian border. It is located in the subdistrict of Balibo, Bobonaro District. It was estimated by Human Rights Watch that 70 per cent of the town was destroyed during the militia violence that preceded the vote on East Timorese independence.
How did Roger East die in the Balibo Five?
Roger East, 53, an Australian AAP – Reuters journalist, travelled to East Timor to investigate the deaths of the five men. East was captured in Dili by the Indonesian military on 7 December 1975, the day of the invasion, and executed by firing squad on the morning of 8 December with his body being disposed of in the ocean.
How did the Balibo Five journalists get killed?
The Balibo Five was a group of journalists for Australian television networks based in the town of Balibo in East Timor (then Portuguese Timor), where they were killed on 16 October 1975 during Indonesian incursions before the invasion. In 2007, an Australian coroner ruled that they had been deliberately killed by Indonesian special force soldiers.