Lies and secrets after five journalists are killed in cold blood | Under Investigation

five Australian journalists killed in Cold Blood tonight we uncovered the secret files exposing our government's disturbing role in this shameful [Music] event [Music] good evening I'm Liz Hayes and this is under [Music] investigation it's October 1975 and few Australians have ever heard of bbo a small V Village in East teamour near the border of Indonesia but they soon will we're at Balo south of bagatti near the Indonesian border we've been told that Balo was hit by artillery and mortar this morning they realize that the fate of a nation is in their hands b ball Monday afternoon and we're back here not much longer than 24 hours after when we left they're the last Lifeline the last piece of Truth coming out of that place [Applause] [Music] [Applause] five newsmen from Channel 7 and channel 9 will become known as the Balbo 5 and their deaths will mark one of Australia's darkest chapters the reason it's important even today is it's the longest running coverup that I can think of in Australian political [Music] history why did the newsmen die were their deaths war crimes tonight we'll reveal top secret cables that show the horrific truth about the killings this is where the secret life and expose the role played by our government in this appalling coverup it's a betray of the Australian people at the time things need to be kept secret for a whole variety of reasons but that time has passed for experts join me to investigate the secrets of Balbo the intelligence analyst these are war crimes it's not a matter of opinion the Ambassador and former government Minister it's the tough business of government the son of a victim I know the government didn't want them to go but something big was happening and that's the job of Journalism to investigate that the witness but if they killed the journalist then what about the timis people and what about the people that are defendless 1975 is a turbulent year Vietnam has fallen to the Communists the world has witnessed a global energy crisis and the tiny Portuguese colony of East teamour bordering Indonesia and on Australia's doorstep is about to declare its independence the world was changing we were going to be Democratic colonialism was going to finish and this is what I wanted for my country we wanted our own history our own government our own you know we wanted to be independent the stability of a new and Tiny country concerned Australia and Indonesia but there was another agenda for them both accessing East teo's Rich reserves of oil and with that in mind some in the Australian government are happy for Indonesia to take the whole isand an attitude we held for years I can remember a then Senior Diplomat saying to me look privately I'll just tell you I think it's ridiculous that we're encouraging any small countries that aren't viable to populate southeast Asia it's crazy to be independent yeah Indonesia begins its plan to overtake East te more in secret using local militia to try to spark a Civil War and it works in August 1975 violent conflict sees hundreds killed in the capital [Applause] Dilly we're just running shooting has broken out in the village across the street one of the first to report on the conflict is Channel 9's news boss Gerald St they captured footage of the Civil War there and it kind of brought home to Australian audiences that this is not something happening somewhere else it's actually quite it's just right on on our doorstep yeah Indonesia's president Sahar denies his country is involved nevertheless the conflict grabs the attention of Australians and more media sit out to investigate on October the 10th 1975 Channel 7 Melbourne sends a team reporter Greg Shackleton cameraman Gary Cunningham and sound recordist Tony Stewart in Dilly they meet ludes Perez who was only 16 at the time I spoke to Greg more often and he showed me some swear words and he told me about Shirley and he spoke about this little [Music] boy I also met Gary and Gary kind of introduced me to rock and roll he was into this new music he played some some music in a a cassette tape I think it was the Beatles having that connection with ludes is you know there's somebody on both sides here it's the human side of this story isn't it it it is Gary Cunningham was John Milan's father he was just five when Gary died in East Tour all I'd ever had for many years was this picture so finding out more about how he lived than how he died has been really important for me um and it it feels a pict picture of someone bigger than just his end Channel 9 ass science reporter Malcolm reny and cameraman Brian Peters to East t-mo where they meet up with Greg Shackleton and his team they decide to make for the Tiny Town of balibo following rumors of an Indonesian military buildup balibo is the border of east and west timore that's why they went there the Indonesians were already crossing the border so we had an idea that that um something big was coming the five journalists arrive in Bello by the 13th of October to the Delight of the locals one thing that the the tares were doing was trying to get as many foreign people to come so that they could rally morale by saying we've got these foreign journalists who are in Balbo they're at the border and they're going to be reporting and telling the world what happened uh what the Indonesians are doing here what we're going to do today is take a patrol further down about 3 km from the Indonesian border the troops are about to leave the journalists embed themselves with pro-independence fretland troops in Balbo and waight I do think that they thought they were on the cusp of something much bigger um something that was going to shift the geopolitical arrangements in in our part of the world and that their government didn't want them covering that the Indonesian actions so far has been limited to a helicopter patrol each day earlier this week there was a mortar barage at this particular Fort following a helicopter foray into the area day by day there are increasing signs an Indonesian attack even an invasion is coming we've dbed our house with the word Australia in red and the Australian flag in the house where we spent the night Channel 7 reporter Greg Shackleton Paints the Australia austalian flag on a house in Balbo they all jokingly call the Australian Embassy we're hoping it will afford us some protection but behind the bravado Clues from Nine's cameraman Brian Peters there was also unease Brian Peters mentions that you know mortars could come and we're not sure how we might get out yes yeah that's that's that's correct they know they're in deep danger but they're also there for the long run the reporters chose to stay apparently confident their status as Australians and journalists would protect them the Australian government including prime minister gof whitlam would later claim they'd been warned not to travel to East Tour if you're an investigative journalist and the Prime Minister says don't go to tour there's something really big happening there you're not doing your job as an investigative journalist if you don't go I know the government didn't want them to go but something big was happening in our nearest neighbor and that's the job of Journalism to investigate that but there was another perhaps more compelling reason they stayed even as the danger mounted they clearly felt a deep responsibility to tell the human story of the tear struggle for Independence something happened here last night that moved us very deeply it was so far outside our experience as Australians and so inextricably interwoven with the atmosphere of this place that we'll find it very difficult to convey to you in an Australian living room but we'll try this was one of the last reports from Greg Shackleton sitting on woven mats under a thatched roof in a hut with no walls we were the target of a barrage of questioning from men who know they may die tomorrow and cannot understand why the rest of the world does not care why they ask are the Indonesians invading us my main answer was that Australia would not send forces here that's impossible however I said we could ask that Australia rais this fighting at the United Nations that was possible at that the second in charge Rose to his feet exclaimed kamarad a journalist shook my hand the rest shook my hand and we were applauded because we are Australians that's all they want for the United Nations to care about what is happening here this piece of footage for me is the point at which they realize that they're not journalists on a scoop competing journalists they realize that the fate of a nation is in their hands as the last lifeline and the last link to the outside world before what's going to happen and for the first time this year I've seen the end of that piece of footage and Greg cries making myself cry with my own report he's realized that he's on the cusp of something big and that is a definitive piece of footage in my mind yes is that hard to watch knowing that this is I'm proud of it I know my dad filmed that I want to go through that that and out to the other side and meet him John my condolences I'm uh it's very personal for you I I sometimes forget that uh when I do things as a his or as a investigator um he your dad in fact did film that I'm sorry about it's it's important because it's not just about the Balo 5 it's about what happened to teore and about our place in the world I've seen this part for the last 50 years and it's a message that Timo wanted for a long time after the valy ball uh five for the United Nations to hear our voice for the world to hear our voice and it was important this has always been a connection between Timo the volleyball 5 and me the emotion here last night was so strong that we all three of us felt we should be able to reach out into the warm night air and touch it Greg Shackleton at an unnamed Village which we'll remember forever in Portuguese Teo coming up we know that the order was given tamak SAA just shoot the damning proof we're told the invasion is coming we're told where it's going to be launched from of what our government really knew from this moment on the cover up is in full flight it is now underway the tragic betrayal of the Bello 5 we will accept the loss of human life for the greater good the greater good it have to be pretty great that's next on under [Music] investigation tonight we're investigating the deaths of the Bello 5 in East Tour they did not expect to be deliberately targeted and executed and the truth behind the murders of the Australian newsman kept from public eyes in these secret files for decades from this moment on the cover up is in full flight almost immediately the facts of the Balo 5 were [Music] known okay Greg identify this this is a a link piece between the setting off on the Counterattack from Malana uh and whatever follows uh happening to us at Bley ball it's October 1975 the Australian news teams reporting for channel 7 and channel 9 are embedded with East teares fretland Independence fighters in the Tiny Town of Balbo near the border of Indonesian West teamour the Indonesian action so far has been limited to a helicopter patrol each day final reports from the Balbo 5 were broadcast in Australia in mid October and they closing in on the truth they've come to find that Indonesia plans to invade what happens now is unclear there are reports from the military leaders here that there will be an invasion within 2 weeks but the Indonesian assault is not within weeks it is imminent in the very early early hours of October the 16th Indonesian Commandos along with pro-indonesian militias attacked Balbo the journalists are about to witness the story they had come for but it's a story they won't live to tell buried within what were top secret files obtained with Professor Clinton Fernandez we've discovered the dark fate of the Bello five we're told the invasion is coming we're told where it's going to be launched from and what our government really knew and didn't do is this the point of no return for saving the lives of the journalists now their fate is sealed yeah we know that the sun rose at 5:17 a.m. on that morning the Thursday the 16th of October we know the attack was planned for about 45 minutes before that in order to take advant AG of the of of the dark Greg Shackleton reports Indonesia has assembled its air and Naval force in and around the coastal town of badii the helicopter was circling over badii and Indonesians are believed to have been at the controls under cover of Darkness Indonesian forces launch mortars and deploy tanks to create confusion and to cover their attacking troops meanwhile three teams are approached Balbo from behind them the independence Fighters defending Balbo are hopelessly outnumbered by hundreds of attacking militia who are not wearing uniforms led by an elite unit of Indonesia's Special Forces all of these people were dressed in civilian clothing not in Indonesian military uniform that itself is against Geneva conventions it's believed the Bello 5 were confident their status as journalists reporting for Australian television would give them protection I still don't believe that they thought they would be killed I don't think anyone would stay if you thought you were going to be killed retreating Independence Fighters reported seeing the journalists filming and then taking shelter in a building the journalist saw them coming over the hill they ran down the hill into Balo Square and then approached the Indonesian forces with their hands in the air attempting to surrender as they try to surrender the five newsmen have no idea there are orders to eliminate any and all witnesses to this illegal Invasion I think they felt that if they surrendered to the Indonesians uh they would not be executed but they might be held prisoner you're supposed to take prisoners to actually say uh prisoners will not be taken that itself is a war crime the commander of the Indonesian Special Forces Unit is Captain yunice Yia according to iwitness reports now on the official record he and his men killed the journalists we know that the order was given by unosphere tambak sa just shoot some open fire one took out a knife and stabbed within moments Malcolm reny Brian Peters Greg Shackleton Gary Cunningham and Tony Stewart are shot and stabbed to death they took the bodies they put a mattress on top of it and then they dowed the bodies and the mattress with petrol and then burnt it for for days toas gonz then fighting with the pro- Indonesian militia was there when the journalists were murdered as a dying man he later recorded this eyewitness account to ludes [Music] [Music] Perez you obviously spend some time with thas uh tell me who he is and why he is credible I knew to much from when I was five or six but when I interviewed him he was dying he said he wanted to make peace with God they wanted to confess and so I I believe that things that he's he was saying is true because he was dying John when you hear the story uh that we have every reason to believe um what is your reaction I think it's it's inexcusable and it's not what any son would like to hear and the reason that this needs to be fully disclosed is to prevent it happening again from Dilly an account of how the five Australian newsmen may have died when anti frlan forces attacked the town of balibo Indonesia's official Li begins denying any involvement instead claiming the five journalists have been killed in the crossfire of a local Skirmish a claim that even decades later remained uncorrected by Indonesia we've made clear our position that it's a case which is close and we not having even any intention to reopen the case it's about deniability if if there's a crossfire between rival all these tees factions you can say that was that's that was a tragedy but it was these teares it was about denying Indonesian involvement and being able and presence and being able to to say it's nothing to do with us look at the look at the photo of alibo do you really think there going to be a lot of forces fighting to take over what's described as a Town Square but is really just a rectangle of of dirt with a few small houses around it BL dis was it believed it was possible from your perspective at that time that this is how it could have happened no at that time balial was deserted everyone had fled family friends and colleagues would devastated all the time there's been that slight hope that it was a coincidence that our people were safe I'm afraid that our hopes are no more our worst suspicions appear to be confirmed look it was a plausible story at the time because nobody could go there and verify and in the absence of any evidence a claim like Crossfire can't be disproven a defective from a pro-indonesian militia in East teamour gives an eyewitness account to the Australian media Australian public they have the right to know how these people died is a shocking contradiction of the official story instead he says it was coldblooded Murder By Indonesian troops but how they k Mr they shoot it with machine guns kalashov five two first then two surrender and the last one he served as a woman Target for you ludes um knowing journalists have died in a murky situation uh frightening yes uh for me I thought all hell is going to break loose the world is going to jump up and down Australia definitely is going to do something about this and um we just wait and see coming up we knew and we didn't do anything about it could we have stopped The Invasion we are now accomplishes to what is going to be a mass atrocity and saved the journalist lives 3 days before 3 days before there were 3 days still to get them out the secret files that right there makes me angry revealed that tells me a decision was made about Australian lives they made a choice that's next on under [Music] investigation it's December the 5th 1975 [Music] a single casket contains what Indonesia says are the ashes of the Bello five the Australian newsman supposedly killed in the crossfire of a local Skirmish in East te but as we've revealed we know that the order was given by yunus yosia tamak sa just shoot that account of their deaths is a dreadful lie it's the longest running cover up that I can think of in Australian political history I'd just like to express my own deep condolences and the condolences of all members of the Australian Embassy to the next of Ken uh and Friends of the five journalists our ambassador Richard Walcott delivers a grave side eulogy but he is one of a tight circle of Australian government officials who knows a dark truth about what happened that day be thy name thy kingdom come thy will be done on Earth as it is in heaven in fact this funeral and the Australian government's public sorrow are a cruel charade masking an orchestrated coverup revealed in confidential communic we've assembled with the help of Professor Clinton Fernandez it's a betrayal of the te but it's more significantly betrayal of the Australian people these top secret files are damning proof of what our highest officials knew before and after the attack this is where the secrets lie a your Australian Eyes Only the first Cable in this secret Trove takes us to jarta Indonesia September the 6th 1974 more than a year before the journalists are killed at a meeting with Indonesian president Sahar prime minister gof whitlam commits Australia to a secret policy which effectively greenlights Indonesia's plan to take over East teamour first he believed that Portuguese teamour should become part of Indonesia Australia's secret decision is the beginning of a human tragedy the loss of thousands of lives including the Bello 5 all the taries who died died in part because of this meeting what happens in the very first minutes on the 6th of September 1974 when whitlam says to soato you should have EO and if that's the case that's where the Balbo 5's fate was sealed as well this is where the Balo 5's fate was sealed a year later 30th September 1975 2 weeks before the murders Ambassador Richard Walcott learns Indonesia is planning its Invasion up to 3,800 Indonesian soldiers from java would be put into Portuguese teamour gradually you've got a very senior Indonesian official briefing the Australian Embassy saying that almost 4,000 troops are going to attack East teamour along the border region they're not going to be dressed in Indonesian uniforms they're not going to wear Indonesian Flags disguising troops as civilians is a violation of the Geneva Convention our diplomats were told that uh a major war crime is about to occur and uh we we are committed now to keeping it quiet why did they tell us they told us in order to compromise [Music] us the Ambassador says we are too informed as a result of the briefings we can't protest now we can't now come out and say how shocked we were because we are now part of the coverup these diplomatic cables make for difficult reading our complicity is unabashed and seemingly never questioned once we decide not to utter a word about this cable yes we are compromised yeah we're in on the secret we are in on the secret uh we are now accomplishes to what is going to be a mass atrocity and now we can't say stop doing it because we knew all along Indonesia continues to pass on its battle plans to Ambassador wott including when and where they plan to attack on the 13th of October the Ambassador gets even more details Chan said that the main thrust of the operation would begin on 15 October it would be through Balbo and they specifically mention Balbo and the Border regions so so we we now know exactly where yes they intend to invade yes here at Malboro in Portuguese teamour we're 20 M from the border and at the time that this cable is sent to Australia Greg shackleton's report saying he's heading to the border is broadcast on TV in Melbourne and in canra where all our intelligence and defense and Foreign Affairs agencies are with Walcott's cable and Greg shackleton's broadcast Australia's intelligence Services must now know that the Balbo 5 are directly In Harm's Way 3 days before 3 days before there were 3 days still to get them out enough time to warn the newsmen to warn Indonesia not to harm them time enough to save these Australian lives but their own government betrays them that right there makes me angry you're right to be angry that tells me a decision was made about Australian lives they made a choice on October the 16th the babo 5 are killed we could have said we know we've got journalists headed there yes why didn't we I don't know the answer to that the Australian public is unaware of the government's damning choices and the families of the Bello 5 are kept in the dark including Greg teton's wife Shirley how did you learn finally that they were dead we have never learned that they were dead there have never been any bodies and there's never been any admission from the Indonesians that they were killed Australians are told the journalist died in crossfire between te Marie's soldiers but just a day after the attack a select few officials learn the truth from Indonesian military radio chatter intercepted by Australia's spy agencies we know that as soon as they were killed and for a few days after there was a lot of Indonesian military traffic and they say that we have killed five Australian journalists and their bodies are burnt to ashes so from this moment on M the cover up is in full flight almost immediately the facts of the bable 5 was known faced with a choice instead of coming clean the Australian and Indonesian governments drop for cover is it possible to talk to the consult first and he and ask him why he refused he doesn't want to speak to you because he got too much to hide and we now know Australia too had much to hide isn't this the moment where you go do we lie or do we tell the truth yeah they have a choice to make they've been sprung now do they double down on the LIE or do they come clean and say this is what happened realizing the government was in an explosive political bind Ambassador Wolcott warns against criticizing Indonesia I would therefore suggest that the government tough it out for the time being the mission became to tough it out uh to cover it up and then to go to the Indonesians and say help us help you cover it up we're making a decision about the deaths of five Australians versus our relationship with Indonesia y this is where the the five journalists who've been murdered are put into the cone of silence no one's going to talk about it with the terrible truth tucked away the people of East Teo are left to fend for themselves it spills just another terrible moment for East teamour doesn't it it does uh their fate is sealed as well having consigned our own citizens to the black hole of memory uh it now looks like uh we don't care what happens to the tar so the Indonesians can do whatever they wish as Indonesia stood poised to attack Australia had one last chance to step in there was a pause in their military operations for more than a month waiting to see what the reaction would be from us and from the International Community there was no reaction yeah and that's the real green light that we gave the Indonesians on the 7th of December thousands of its troops poured into East teo's Capital Dilly a day later another Australian journalist Roger East is murdered by the invading soldiers he was dragged to the warf yelling I'm Australian I'm Australian and he was executed and his body fell onto the water and uh that was all that was left of him with the last Australian journalist in East timore dead and with the Australian government compromised and Silent a genocide commences coming up we are selling them helicopters aircraft and Patrol boats more terrible troops oh my God I find that unbelievable is it finally time for Australia to take action we're decades on on don't see why we can't clear the decks that's next on under [Music] investigation the Bello 5 are murdered and Australia is caught in a Web of Lies but the Bloodshed doesn't stop there as thousands die when Indonesia makes a fullscale invasion of East teere run for 24 years it is ruled by a brutal military [Music] government and Australia watches as the people of East teamour are subjected to unimaginable [Music] Misery we knew and we didn't do anything about it one of the biggest misconceptions is we looked the other way when Indonesia invaded and we did nothing and that's just not true we looked right there and then sold them more weapons we are selling them helicopters aircraft and Patrol boats yeah tonight we're delving deep into the government's secret archives with intelligence analyst and historian Professor Clinton Fernandez these secrets are really shameful yeah ultimately about what Australia chose to do in this once hidden Trove of cables there is one that stands out dated a year after the invasion a handwritten notation from an Australian Diplomat on a report of Indonesian atrocities in East Tour there is talk here about the Indonesians are torturing raping and executing the captured population and two of our diplomats who are reading all this right in the margins sounds like fun oh my God I find that unbelievable well I understand why you'd say that it's hard to read that uh without some emotion disgust anger because we're talking about real people who are being raped and then executed for decades officials in Cambra tried to suppress the truth and successive governments and their leaders failed to bring Indonesia to account failed to even protest the killings of the Balbo 5 all the deaths destruction and dishonor seemingly a sacrifice to Australia's greater good Amanda is there ever a reason able time to decide that we will accept the sacrificing if you like or the loss of human life for the greater good the greater good well you'd want to know what the greater good was wouldn't you yes I mean it have to be pretty great Amanda vanstone a former Ambassador and federal Minister understands what governments do behind closed doors can there be an argument in government where you have to sit down and go well we're going to have to accept that because sure around the world in in in military or intelligence services or in government if it gets to that point who have to make those sorts of decisions I've never had to never been a part of a government that's had to make that that of which I've been aware in 2007 a New South Wales coronial inquiry investigated the deaths of the Balbo 5 and theur ER named two former Indonesian Military Officers directly responsible for their murders christopherus dilva who witnesses said stabbed to death one of the newsmen and Unice yosia the Special Forces Captain whom Witnesses said gave the order to kill Yia continues to be a senior widely respected figure in Indonesian politics once serving as the minister for information both men rejected the coroner's findings and denied any involvement in the journalist's deaths Indonesia had gained control of the town of Balbo uh at the point at which the journalists were surrendering and they were murdered uh so there's no doubt that that is a war crime of murder Ben Saul is a barrister of the international criminal tribunal and as an expert in international law he says the Australian federal police should have pursued War crime charges the Australian government just hasn't pushed hard enough uh it hasn't wanted to upset the relationship with Indonesia uh by pulling out all stops to ensure that Justice is done and that the indonation authorities uh pursue every lead to track down these killers immediately after the coroner named the two indones Ian officers Kevin rud Australia's then opposition leader made a bold public statement I believe this has to be taken through to its logical conclusion I also believe that those responsible should be held to account but when he came to power there was still no justice for the Bello 5 Amanda would you think it reasonable to pursue that uh war crimes having been committed given that we are prepared to put our own soldiers under the blow torch uh I would think it's it's a reasonable thing we're decades on I don't see why we can't clear the decks yes and because we have names although I must say the Indonesian government has said not all that long ago really that for example if unus yph was found guilty they wouldn't be handing him over no that's right we have an exibition treaty with Indonesia it came into effect in 1995 and Indonesia has used it federal police have launched a war crimes investig ation into the 1975 killing of five Australian newsmen in East Tour the Australian federal police began their investigation in 2009 but incredibly after 5 years the case was dropped despite never interviewing the suspects should we be pursuing the the men who we know have been named I believe so I believe so I mean it's you know the law is the law for everybody otherwise dictatorships weaponize our own failures to implement the law they say well you don't do it why should we there is no statute of limitations on war crimes is there no no for me I think people need to be prosecuted for what they did um new in the investigation should be reopened and um families compensated I would simply like to hear them say yes all right it was us and a simple apology but because that is being denied at the level of Australia and Indonesia it's game on it takes it to a different level and that's when International war crimes should be [Music] prosecuted it's a prosecution that may be assisted with further information in the secret passages of Cambra there is a cache of sealed documents which belong to the Australian secret intelligence service and possibly they may shed crucial light on the case but Asus has refused any access to them on the grounds of National Security we can't tell the whole truth we don't want to or we can't I I don't know which it is what would be the harm in now releasing whatever information we have welcome to honorable Senator and Minister for foreign affairs foreign minister Penny Wong has the power to unseal these Final Secrets about the Balo 5 but when asked her office did not address the issue nor was there any indication it would seek Justice instead like all those before Wong's office stated the government deeply regrets the deaths of the Australian journalists at the time things need to be kept secret for a whole variety of reasons but that time has passed coming up why did we do it there's an eye on the oil the shabby motive behind Australia's shame it's quite simply blood oil that's next on under [Music] investigation we were Bor in BL they're the last Lifeline the last piece of Truth coming out of that [Music] place tonight we've investigated the case of the Balbo 5 they did not expect to be deliberately targeted and executed and the cover up that remains a stain on Australia's honor the longest running cover up that I can think of in Australian political history we've revealed the government's top secret cables and messages our diplomats were told that a major war crime is about to occur our failure to act when we knew the journalists were in danger there were 3 days still to get them out that right there makes me angry knowledge they were killed by Indonesian troops and then shockingly kept quiet information that no Australian government even to this day has acted upon the Australian government's lack of protests meant that it greenlighted that Invasion a war that saw the deaths of thousands of East Tes people all of my dad's side of family was killed and most of my relatives were killed there is one last Awful Truth in amongst the lies and coverups and the loss of lives the Australian government saw a major benefit we wanted oil it's quite simply blood oil it's the carving up of resources in their so-called National interest at the expense of the tares the greater Sunrise field one of many vast oil reserves of the coast of East teamour was discovered in 1974 just months before gof witam struck his secret deal with Indonesian president zahar zahar could have east teore and Australia would have a share of east tor's oil having looked at some of the remarks whitlam made and caes uh you know I think there are a few wizer words in there there's an eye on the oil oil is a motive oil is always part of it I mean the oil and gas uh of Teo which is you know what they were entitled to have uh is always in the background and in 1989 we finally got it Australia's then foreign minister Gareth Evans signed the teor Gap oil treaty with Indonesia and celebrated with his counterpart high in the sky this is really unique and uniquely important while beneath them the people of East teamour were dy I think would would help the the timis people who uh suffered all these years to understand that Australia does want our o and continues to want our o Gareth Evans said he did everything in his power to help the people of East Tour while in government Australia did eventually help East Teo gain independence in 2002 but the relationship has continued to struggle the government was exposed for spying on East Teo during negotiations over its oil treaty it then charged and prosecuted lawyer Bernard ceri and his client known as witness k for blowing the whistle Commonwealth now wants both men tried in secret it is one more uncomfortable truth in Australia's relationship with East Tour this is a very very determined push to hide dirty political linen which began with the Balbo 5 it's a thread linking from Balbo all the way through to Bernard clear and witness K and the reason that this needs to be fully disclosed is to prevent it happening again it's not about five six with Roger E white men being killed it's about our abrogation of international human rights responsibilities and the BRD of the Geneva conventions it's a much bigger story it goes to who we are and our [Music] Humanity despite government in action by Australia and Indonesia those deeply affected by the events of 1975 are attempting to heal the scars ludes spent a lifetime fighting for East tor's Independence what was the impact of this Invasion oh 200,000 people killed and uh still today we still recovering from the the the the invasion lots of people killed my family was affected my sister was there and and this is terrible she had to flee to the mountains she lost her her baby then was killed at the time and um yeah it was devastating John milkin is the chair of the Balbo house trust a charity set up to bring prosperity to the village where his father was murdered and where the deaths of the Balbo 5 have had a lasting impact the first time I went to Babo just walking up past the flag house an old man stopped me and said you are from the Bello families I want to apologize for what happened to your family and I talked to him for a while and it turned out he had lost five of his own family the trust has built four schools and provided much needed Dental Care the darkness is looking looking into war crimes is having to continually beat yourself against this wall of indifference and and secrecy yes the light is being able to work with balber house trust and for the last 20 years we've reached out and that's been very healing it is the light against the [Music] darkness we end tonight remembering the people of East teamour who died in this bloody Invasion and those trying to tell their story Gary Cunningham Greg Shackleton Tony Stewart Malcolm reny Brian Peters and Roger East who was executed in Dilly newsmen committed to reporting the truth and who were killed for doing their job nearly 50 years on we can only hope that the Australian government will at least officially protest their deaths if you have any information that the families of the Balbo 5 need to know please contact us on our encrypted email under investigation oton mail.com thank you all very much for joining me tonight and I thank you I'm Liz Hayes good night [Music] hello I'm Liz Hayes and thank you for watching under investigation subscribe to our Channel now for exclusive clips and don't miss out on full episodes of under investigation on 9 now and the N Now app

Channel: 60 Minutes Australia

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Keywords: 60 Minutes, 60 Minutes Australia, Liz Hayes, Tara Brown, Tom Steinfort, 60Mins, Amelia Adams, news, world news, news australia, investigative journalism, 60 minutes australia youtube, 60 minutes youtube, 60 minutes episodes, 60 minutes australia episodes, 60 minutes australia, 60 minutes, balibo, indonesia, west papua, portuguese papua, indonesian invasion of papua new guinea, png, papua new guinea, balibo five, balibo 5, war crimes, journalists in war zones, secret files

Id: 2Od48XRj26w

Length: 53min 2sec (3182 seconds)

Published: Tue Oct 17 2023