East Timor: Genocide in Paradise

I didn't know about the atrocities in East Timor and the USA's complicity in them until I read reference to them in one of Chomsky's works. The outrage was kept secret from the USA public for a long time.This book provides an excellent introduction to the history and global political dynamics behind the pogroms. You will be shocked and amazed.

I found Matthew Jardine's book next to a cash register at LAX (Los Angeles International Airport) one day on my way to a flight.I read it from cover to cover during the one hour flight and even though I was already familiar with the basic history of East Timor, the book informed me in a concise and well written manner, condensing the essense of that tragic history into a few dozen pages........I strongly recommend that anyone interested in what is happening on this planet read this book.

This is a great introduction to East Timor, but with the situation changing so rapidly, and with tremendously heightened interest, it's understandble that people would like to know more. One place to find out is the East Timor Action Network.

This book is a great introduction to the situation in East Timor. It effectively and succintly provides a thorough overview of Portuguese colonialism, the rise of East Timorese nationalism, and Indonesia's bloody invasion and occupation. While the subject matter is somewhat depressing, the book also illustrates the incredible bravery and resilience of the East Timorese people. Finally, and most importantly for a U.S. audience, the author convincingly demonstrates the shameful and decisive role of the U.S. government in Indonesia's crimes against humanity.

This book succintly describes the role that the US played in supporting Indonesia's 24-year brutal military occupation of East Timor -- as a result of which 1/3 of the population lost their lives. The author shows that the US trained and armed the military, and provided critical diplomatic and financial support to Indonesia. The US government's recent position in support of peace and self-determination in East Timor is much welcomed, but the US only has taken this position after years of grassroots pressure and a groundswell of international condemnation of Indonesia's brutality. If the US acted weeks sooner, the widespread destruction could have been prevented. If the US had not supported Indonesia's aggression 24 years earlier, the genocide would not have occurred. Read this book!