Fifty years on, the quest for truth endures
In the Timor-Leste border town of Balibo, the ground still remembers the footsteps of five journalists who paid the ultimate price for bearing witness to a brutal invasion. Half a century has passed since Greg Shackleton, Gary Cunningham, Brian Peters, Malcolm Rennie and Anthony Stewart were killed while filming Indonesia’s assault on East Timor. The Balibo Five’s story remains not only a historical lament but a living demand for accountability, transparency, and justice.
For Evan Shackleton, walking the same dirt his father trod is a visceral reminder of the price of reporting. “That feeling you get in your throat, when you think I can’t breathe properly,” he recalled, the emotion undeniable in his voice. He is the only Balibo family member to attend this week’s commemorations, and he brings a personal, ongoing mission: to ensure the world does not forget the truth of what happened and why it matters today.
The long wait for accountability
The Balibo Five were killed in 1975 as they sought to document the Indonesian invasion of East Timor. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) later revealed that some of the men who planned the killings were defiant figures in Indonesia’s security apparatus, a reality that has fueled decades of frustration for families who say the truth has been obscured by political calculus. Roger East, an ABC journalist who investigated the case, was also killed in Dili weeks later, underscoring a climate of danger for journalists covering conflict.
In 2007, an Australian inquest found that Indonesian military forces deliberately killed the five men, led by Captain Yunus Yosfiah. The inquiry underscored a pattern of state violence and a lack of accountability that still shadows regional history. Yet two things have not happened: a formal apology from the Indonesian government, and justice for the men who reported the invasion on the ground.
Justice delayed, but not denied in memory
Recent revelations have added another layer of sorrow. One of the coroner’s conclusions, the death of a suspect involved in Peters’ killing—Christoforus da Silva—came in 2022, years after the inquest. The deaths remind families that the clock of accountability keeps turning, even as legal avenues diminish. For some, the pursuit of justice is tempered by the realization that no one may be held to account in a courtroom, while others argue that moral accountability remains essential for history and reconciliation.
Politically, the path forward remains complex. Indonesia has signaled a focus on broader bilateral relations with Timor-Leste, and both governments have stopped short of offering formal apologies. In Australia, inquiries into possible government involvement in cover-ups have largely stalled, with the 2014 decision to close a war crimes probe cited by families and observers as a missed chance to confront uncomfortable truths.
A community that keeps memory alive
The Balibo House Trust, based in Melbourne, plays a crucial role in sustaining memory and supporting local Timorese programs. October 16 has evolved into a day celebrating press freedom in Timor-Leste, a country that has for years embraced the values of independent reporting and the protection of journalists. For Evan Shackleton and other relatives, these acts of remembrance are more than rituals; they are ongoing commitments to truth-telling, central to the healing process and to a broader regional conscience about violence against the press.
As Balibo looks to the future, the town’s banners, the faces in the crowd, and the stories shared by visitors from around the world emphasize that the Balibo Five are not merely a chapter in a history book. They are a continuing call for transparency, accountability, and the protection of journalists who put themselves in harm’s way to bear witness to those in power. For the families, every anniversary reaffirms the emotional and ethical stakes of their struggle: may truth prevail, and may the victims be remembered with honesty and respect.
Continuing the conversation
The quest for justice is not just a legal battle but a moral one, involving governments, media institutions, and the public. As Balibo refuses to fade from memory, it invites ongoing dialogue about how nations confront past atrocities, how they honor journalists who risk everything, and how future generations can learn from a hard-earned history of courage and consequences.
