Timor: A Nation Reborn

The geopolitical landscape of Southeast Asia has been dramatically re-shaped with the emergence of East Timor as the world's newest nation. Like a phoenix, East Timor has risen triumphantly from the ashes of Indonesian invasion and occupation. But it has paid a heavy price for its independence. Hundreds of thousands perished in the bloody struggle for power waged between the competing Timorese political factions following the collapse of Portuguese colonial rule and the David-and-Goliath struggle with Indonesia that followed. While this journey to independence ended with East Timor’s referendum in August 1999, it began with Portugal’s abandonment a quarter of a century earlier. A Nation Reborn revisits that crucial period in history and the pursuit of power by individuals and factions competing for local dominance, as well as regional giants conspiring to fulfill their own political agendas. Timor is a story of lies, deceit, intrigue, naiveté and suffering. It is a human story with tragic consequences compellingly documented first-hand by author Bill Nicol.