Citation

Nevins J. Ann. Assoc. Am. Geogr. 2009; 99(5): 914-921.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2009, Association of American Geographers, Publisher Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/00045600903245904

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

East Timor faces severe limitations in its efforts to realize legal and material justice and to overcome the horrific violence associated with Indonesia's invasion and almost twenty-four-year occupation. Since the Indonesian military's withdrawal in October 1999, the now-independent country has struggled to realize legal and material justice for the war crimes and crimes against humanity committed from 1975 to 1999 and to overcome the deprivation and dispossession associated with Indonesia's invasion and occupation. In relation to these efforts, this article examines two case studies. The first is East Timor's effort to secure legal and financial restitution for damages associated with Indonesia's actions. The second involves a disagreement with Australia over oil and natural gas deposits in a shared seabed and the effort to ensure an international-law-informed resolution of the conflict. In both cases, East Timor has fallen far short of its goals.