With civic joy fuelled by nothing stronger than coconuts and Coca-Cola, the independence ballot is only the first step.
Published daily by the Lowy Institute
Gordon Peake’s first book was an award-winning memoir of life in Timor-Leste, Beloved Land: Stories, Struggles & Secrets from Timor-Leste. He is presently writing his second book, about New Guinea. He works part of the year as an Australian-funded adviser in Bougainville. He is writing in a personal capacity; the article does not reflect the views of the Government of Australia or Abt Associates.