“Kompas” Photo Archive: The Ups and Downs of Indonesia-Australia Relations

Abdurrahman Wahid's visit was the first visit by the President of the Republic of Indonesia to Australia after President Suharto in 1974.

The following article was translated using both Microsoft Azure Open AI and Google Translation AI.

Bilateral relations between countries are always marked by various dynamics. The ups and downs of relations between countries always color the different periods. Problems that arise cannot be avoided accompanying the interests of each country in these dynamics.

Likewise bilateral relations between Indonesia and Australia. From year to year the bilateral relations between the two countries are often colored by turmoil as recorded in the photo archives and daily documentation of Kompas. Indonesia-Australia bilateral relations which were colored by turmoil was the period after the Referendum in East Timor (Timtim) on 30 August 1999.

KOMPAS/EDDY HASBY

Queue of Dili residents who are enthusiastic about using their voting rights at the State Elementary School polling station Bemori, Dili, on Monday (30/8/1999).

KOMPAS/EDDY HASBY (ED)

The Atmosphere of Vote Polling in East Timor, August 30th 1999.

KOMPAS/EDDY HASBY

There was a polling station in Dili, East Timor on Monday, August 30th, 1999.

The territory of Timor-Leste, which was previously a Portuguese colony, was declared integrated with Indonesia on July 17, 1976 and became the 27th province in Indonesian territory. The process of "unification" of Timor-Leste into Indonesia was carried out through a military operation known as Operation Seroja. Thousands of Timor-Leste civilians were forced to face the Indonesian military invasion in "Bumi Lorosae". The neighboring country, Australia, rejected the way Timor-Leste was unified through this military operation. Nonetheless, the military operation continued and resulted in the annexation of Timor-Leste territory through Law Number 7 of 1976.

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KOMPAS/BUDIMAN TANUREDJO

The residents of East Timor (Timtim) watched television together under a tree in an open field in early March 1992. The region, which had been a Portuguese colony for 450 years, joined Indonesia in July 1976 and became the 27th province.

KOMPAS/MARULI TOBING

Portraits of East Timorese children, 1992.

KOMPAS/EDDY HASBY

The family and relatives of Benedito Fortunato Pires, who died after a clash between groups in Dili, sent the victim to Santa Cruz Cemetery in Dili.

KOMPAS/EDDY HASBY

The family and relatives of Benedito Fortunato Pires, who died after a clash between groups in Dili, accompanied the victim to the Santa Cruz cemetery in Dili.

KOMPAS/EDDY HASBY

Thousands of residents of Dili queued up to participate in the referendum in East Timor on Monday (30/8/1999).

KOMPAS/EDDY HASBY (ED)

The atmosphere of the riots that occurred in East Timor after the 1999 referendum.

KOMPAS/DANU KUSWORO

School children joyfully waving the Timor Leste flag in the city of Dili, Monday (20/5/2002), to welcome the birth of the new country, the Democratic Republic of Timor Leste (RDTL). On that day, East Timor fighter, Xanana Gusmao, was officially inaugurated as the first President of Timor Leste and formally received the sovereignty of East Timor from UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

KOMPAS/DANU KUSWORO (DNU)

The excitement of the people of East Timor in welcoming the birth of a new country, the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste (RDTL), on Monday (20/5/2002) in the capital city of Dili. On that day, East Timor fighter, Xanana Gusmao, was officially inaugurated as the first president of Timor-Leste.

The incorporation of Timor Timur into Indonesia was marked by many conflicts, both social conflicts within its society and military behavior towards civilians. The conflicts were related to the pro and contra status of Timor Timur, starting from the pros and cons of its integration into Indonesia until the referendum process in 1999.

Through a referendum on August 30, 1999 in Timor-Leste, the majority of the people of Timor-Leste chose to break away from Indonesia and become a sovereign country. Out of approximately 450,000 eligible voters, 78.5 percent (344,580) of Timor-Leste's citizens chose to reject autonomy, about 20 percent (94,388) chose autonomy, while around 1.5 percent (7,985 votes) were deemed invalid.

KOMPAS/DANU KUSWORO (DNU)

Dances and gong music by the people of East Timor welcomed the birth of the new Democratic Republic of Timor Leste (RDTL), Monday (20/5/2002), in the capital city of Dili. On that day, the East Timor fighter, Xanana Gusmao, was officially sworn in as the first president of Timor Leste.

KOMPAS/DANU KUSWORO (DNU)

The statue of Christ the King or Cristo Rei on the top of Tanjung Fatucima hill in Dili, East Timor, faces the White Sand Beach in Bidau. The 27-meter statue, created by Mochamad Syailillah, has become one of the pride of Timor-Leste residents. Inaugurated in 1996 by Indonesian President Soeharto, this statue is still a popular tourist attraction visited by both foreign and local tourists in Timor-Leste. To reach the location of the statue, tourists must climb 1,000 steps.

KOMPAS/DANU KUSWORO (DNU)

East Timor independence fighter, Kay Rala Xanana Gusmao, who was later elected as the first president of East Timor, in the presidential election on Sunday, 15 April 2002. Xanana was born in Manatuto, East Timor, on 26 June 1946.

KOMPAS/DANU KUSWORO

The People's Market that was opened at several borders of Indonesia and East Timor turned out to not only be utilized by residents of the two countries. As seen, after patrolling, an Australian soldier member of UNPKF brought a mattress that he bought at the People's Market on the border of Mota Ain.

In the process of integrating and gaining independence for Timor Leste, Indonesia considers there are many external factors involved. One of the parties with interests in Timor Leste that has been highlighted is Australia. This condition has caused the relationship between the two countries to be full of turmoil and tension during that time period.

Until finally the turmoil of conflict between countries found a point of abating. In the archives of Kompas, President Abdurrahman Wahid arrived in Canberra, Australia, Monday (25/6/2001) as a fresh air of bilateral relations between the two countries. President Abdurrahman Wahid was greeted by Australian Prime Minister John Howard. This visit is very historic because this visit is the first visit by the President of the Republic of Indonesia to Australia after President Soeharto in 1974.

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ARSIP KOMPAS

Page 1 of the daily Kompas, 26 June 2001, which carried a photo of President Abdurrahman Wahid's visit to Canberra, Australia, and was greeted by Australian Prime Minister John Howard.

The thawing of this bilateral relationship is also followed by the idea of forming the Western Pacific Forum. The idea proposed by President Abdurrahman Wahid was welcomed by PM John Howard. Both leaders considered this move as a constructive idea that needs to be followed up after years of tension in the relationship between the two countries.

PM John Howard also made a return visit to Indonesia after President Abdurrahman Wahid's visit. However, this time PM John Howard was received by President Megawati Soekarnoputri. Megawati Soekarnoputri assumed the leadership of Indonesia after Abdurrahman Wahid was overthrown three weeks after the historic visit of the RI President to Australia.

ARSIP KOMPAS

News of John Howard's first visit to Indonesia.

KOMPAS/JB SURATNO

President Megawati Soekarnoputri, on Sunday (12/8/2001), received a courtesy visit from Australian Prime Minister John Howard in front of the main entrance of Istana Merdeka Jakarta. Howard will be in Jakarta for a two-day working visit.

KOMPAS/DANU KUSWORO

Australian Prime Minister John Howard, on Monday (13/8/2001), along with the Chairman of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) Amien Rais and the Chairman of the House of Representatives (DPR) Akbar Tandjung in the building of the DPR-MPR RI, Senayan, Jakarta. They gave a press statement after the official meeting.

ARSIP KOMPAS

The loading of photos of Australian PM John Howard's visit who met with Chairman of MPR Amien Rais and Chairman of DPR Akbar Tanjung at the DPR/MPR RI complex in Jakarta, on August 13th, 2001.

The return visit of PM John Howard meeting President Megawati Soekarnoputri took place twice. The first visit took place on August 12-13, 2001 and the second visit on February 6, 2002. During the first visit, PM John Howard visited the RI DPR/MPR Complex in Jakarta and met with MPR Chairman Amien Rais and DPR Chairman Akbar Tanjung.

During his second visit, PM Howard also met with Sri Sultan HB X in Yogyakarta aside from meeting with President Megawati Soekarnoputri in Jakarta. In addition to discussing the improving diplomatic relations between the two countries, cultural cooperation was also one of the agendas in the meeting between the leaders of both nations.

KOMPAS/ALIF ICHWAN

Australian Prime Minister John Howard stated in a press conference at the Regent Hotel in Jakarta on Monday (13/8/2001), prior to his departure to Australia, that Australia and Indonesia have agreed to enhance bilateral relations between the two countries.

KOMPAS/ALIF ICHWAN

The meeting between Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Dorodjatun Kuntjoro-Jakti and Australian Prime Minister John Howard in Jakarta on Monday (13/8/2001). Howard's visit to Jakarta was at the request of President Megawati Soekarnoputri.

KOMPAS/IWAN SETIYAWAN

A dozen students from the Executive Board of the Student Union (BEM) of the University of Indonesia staged a protest against the arrival of Australian Prime Minister John Howard to Indonesia on Thursday (7/2/2002).

This archive of Kompas shows how important the historical record of relations between Indonesia and Australia is due to the East Timor problem. Other ripples of course continued to color relations between the two countries afterwards, but not as tense as the geopolitical interests of the two regarding the status of Timor Leste.

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KOMPAS/DANU KUSWORO

Residents of East Timor (Timtim) wearing traditional accessories of their region welcomed the birth of the new country, the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste (RDTL), on Monday (20/5/2002), in the capital city of Dili. On that day, East Timorese fighter, Xanana Gusmao, was officially inaugurated as the first president of Timor-Leste.

KOMPAS/RONY ARIYANTO NUGROHO

Residents of former East Timor who are members of the National Committee of Political Victims of East Timor held a protest in front of Merdeka Building in Bandung, West Java on Friday (17/4/2015). They demanded that the Indonesian Government settle their asset rights as civilian citizens after the determination of the East Timor separation. With the momentum of the Asia-Africa Conference, they requested international attention to the issues they have faced for the past 16 years.

KOMPAS/MADINA NUSRAT

A number of former East Timor refugees have been living in a refugee camp for 18 years in Silawan Village, Kakuluk Mesak District, Belu Regency, East Nusa Tenggara, Tuesday (11/4/2017). They have been pro-integration refugees since the 1999 referendum in East Timor was won by pro-independence, and until now they have refused to return to their villages, which have now become the independent nation of Timor Leste.