Who Killed the Balibo Five?
An eyewitness account of the murder of five journalists in East Timor
This report unearths controversial evidence to suggests that the Balibo Five were murdered by invading Indonesian troops who wanted to silence the world's media on the secret occupation taking place.
For 20 years the Indonesian government claimed that the TV journalists died in crossfire during a counter-attack by East Timorese anti-Communist forces against left-wing
Fretilin fighters. Now living in voluntary exile, one of our witnesses was within metres of the killings throughout and has a very different account. The journalists were killed swiftly, in the early hours of October 16th, by the Indonesian special forces. Four of the journalists were shot in a house where they were taking refuge. One was knifed in the back while trying to surrender. The bodies were then burned. Another witness claims the commander told his men the journalists had to be killed to avoid repercussions in the relationship between Australia and Indonesia. The journalists, comprising two Australians, two Britons and a New Zealander, were all busily filing their reports. Just days before, one had made an emotional appeal. "men who know they may die tomorrow... cannot understand why the rest of the world does not care. Greg Shackleton, in an unnamed village which we will remember forever, in Portuguese Timor." Through their pictures the horror of the invasion is remembered. With moving archive footage from all the journalists before their brutal demise, this film has led to the re-opening of the inquiry into their deaths. Produced by ABC Australia
FULL SYNOPSIS
Fretilin fighters. Now living in voluntary exile, one of our witnesses was within metres of the killings throughout and has a very different account. The journalists were killed swiftly, in the early hours of October 16th, by the Indonesian special forces. Four of the journalists were shot in a house where they were taking refuge. One was knifed in the back while trying to surrender. The bodies were then burned. Another witness claims the commander told his men the journalists had to be killed to avoid repercussions in the relationship between Australia and Indonesia. The journalists, comprising two Australians, two Britons and a New Zealander, were all busily filing their reports. Just days before, one had made an emotional appeal. "men who know they may die tomorrow... cannot understand why the rest of the world does not care. Greg Shackleton, in an unnamed village which we will remember forever, in Portuguese Timor." Through their pictures the horror of the invasion is remembered. With moving archive footage from all the journalists before their brutal demise, this film has led to the re-opening of the inquiry into their deaths. Produced by ABC Australia