A Dirty Little War

Book excerpt: The previously untold eyewitness story of Indonesia's sustained campaign of terror from 1997 to 1999 against one of Australia's closest neighbours. Written with urgency and compassion by a world-renowned Australian journalist, A Dirty Little War is a story filled with drama, horror, human interest, political intrigue - and even the odd flash of black humour. For many years, John Martinkus was the only journalist in East Timor. He travelled with guerillas and unearthed the secret war Indonesia was waging against this fledgling nation - a war that eventually erupted and led to Australia's troops being called in. His work has been praised by Timorese leaders, including Xanana Gusmao and Jose Ramos Horta. His compelling and passionate reports were published as lead stories in the global media; and in Australia, the editor of the Daily Telegraph acknowledged John, who was then writing for the AAP and AP, as the journalist responsible for rallying public opinion in support of the deployment of Australian peacekeepers to the region. His news stories were used as source material by the Australian Senate, the UN and Amnesty International. This is the insider's view of that 'dirty little war'; a first-hand and deeply personal account of a shocking period in our region's history told in a gripping fashion.