US knew Indonesia intended to stop East Timorese independence 'through terror and violence'
by Helen Davidson from on (#4P4R3)
Documents reveal 'muted' attempts to convince Indonesian officials to allow free vote to proceed
The US government knew for months that Indonesia's military was supporting and arming militias in East Timor in the lead-up to the 1999 independence referendum but continued to push for stronger military ties, declassified documents have revealed.
The hundreds of documents provide a window into US policy on the months of terror inflicted on the Timorese and the "muted" attempts by the US to convince Indonesian officials to allow a peaceful and free vote to proceed.
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