Fifty years later, the Balibo Five remain a map of unresolved truths
The Balibo Five — five seasoned journalists who were to document the Indonesian invasion of East Timor — are remembered not only for their reporting but for the unanswered questions that followed. Half a century on, their families, including Evan Shackleton, walk the dirt roads of Balibo, the Timor-Leste border town where the last footsteps of Greg Shackleton were recorded and later became a symbol of a broader struggle for truth.
What happened in Balibo?
On the morning of the killings, Channel 7 reporter Greg Shackleton, and his colleagues Gary Cunningham, Brian Peters, Malcolm Rennie, and Anthony Stewart, were in Balibo to capture the looming invasion. They did not survive. The event was later immortalised as the Balibo Five. ABC journalist Roger East, who arrived in Timor to investigate, was executed in Dili six weeks later. The story spawned the 2009 film Balibo, which rekindled global attention to the incident and the questions that lingered about accountability and transparency.
Seeking truth amid a long-standing debate
For decades, families have pressed for a full accounting. The 2007 inquest found that Indonesian military forces deliberately killed the five men, with Yunus Yosfiah singled out as a key figure. Yet justice has remained elusive. Yosfiah has consistently denied involvement, and political shifts have complicated any potential prosecutions. The Australian government has faced accusations of complicity or cover-up as it navigated relations with Indonesia during and after the invasion.
The cost of silence
As time passes, the toll of unresolved justice weighs heavily on survivors and relatives. The ABC’s reporting into the Balibo files reveals not only the fates of those killed but also the ongoing gaps in official records and transparency. The push for a formal apology—rooted in the families’ belief that malfeasance and misinformation shaped the official narrative—persists. For contributors like Evan Shackleton, the journey is deeply personal: visiting Balibo triggers a complicated mix of grief, resolve, and a search for meaning for the next generation.
New chapters in a long-standing fight for accountability
In 2024, new revelations emerged about the death of Brian Peters’ colleague Christoforus da Silva, a former Indonesian soldier who died in 2022 after being identified in the coroner’s inquest as having stabbed Peters. He consistently denied involvement. Such details highlight the stubborn, unfinished business of Balibo: the truth about who acted, how orders were executed, and why accountability never fully followed the investigations.
What comes next for Balibo and Timor-Leste
Timor-Leste marked October 16 as a day recognizing press freedom and the courage of journalists. The Balibo House Trust continues to support local schools and community programs, ensuring that the legacy of the five reporters informs future generations about the importance of an independent press and transparent governance. For families, the next steps are as crucial as ever: ensuring that the historical record reflects truth, and that the international community remains invested in accountability—whether through access to official documents or renewed inquiries.
A personal journey, a public cause
For Evan Shackleton, returning to Balibo is both a personal pilgrimage and a public mission. He and other family members carry a multi-generational burden: the desire to honor their loved ones, to seek justice, and to ensure that the world never forgets the circumstances surrounding those killings. As he notes, the experience of Timor-Leste offers a powerful contrast to past government actions and another reminder of the fragility of truth in politics. In Balibo, the community’s warmth and resilience stands as a testament to the enduring power of memory and the ongoing demand for justice.
