May 20, 2025
DILI – For the people of Timor-Leste, May 20 is Independence Restoration Day: the day the United Nations officially handed over sovereignty after the Portuguese and Indonesian colonial periods, a time characterized by an enduring struggle for independence.
As my memory recalls, I have never seen either the Indonesian public or officials celebrate the day the Netherlands officially transferred sovereignty to Indonesia, only the Proclamation of Indonesian Independence on Aug. 17.
Indonesia’s Independence Day commemorations are vibrant and widespread on social media, often focusing on politicians’ dress and the viral songs played during ceremonies. In Timor-Leste, the proclamation and restoration of independence are both national days.
Preparations are carried out with great emotion, because almost all state leaders have experienced the Indonesian era. Some fought as guerrillas and others as clandestine agents, gathering information. This fresh collective memory gives these ceremonies a solemn, virtuous meaning that is far from media spectacle.
These differences in tone highlight how each country’s historical journey uniquely shapes its expression of national pride.
Speaking of guerillas and clandestine agents, it seems their past actions still shape the Indonesian perception of Timor-Leste. Before I headed to Dili, several colleagues asked, “Are you sure about the security situation there?”
After living here for almost a year, I can say that Timor-Leste is safe. According to the latest Freedom House report, Timor-Leste is the freest country in Southeast Asia. The country also ranks third in the region on the corruption perception index, after Singapore and Malaysia.
My hypothesis is that lack of promotion has maintained Indonesia’s public perception of Timor-Leste as a “shady” country. Even some of my diver friends do not know that Atauro Island is one of the best diving spots in the world scientifically due to its coral reef biodiversity. This information mismatch leads to the enduring “hot and cold” interactions between the two countries.
In my observation, political leaders are more comfortable showing their political and cultural closeness to the Portuguese. Timor-Leste’s legal system uses Portuguese and its foreign policy tends to be more comfortable in bilateral talks with Lusofonia.
According to my discussions with policymakers, a key historical factor is that Lusofonia continued to voice independence, whereas the United States and Australia supported Indonesia for some time.
It seems this exclusivity is not yet granted to Indonesia. Several domestic voices remain cautious about improving relations with Indonesia due to historical sensitivities. This is not helped by the Naktuka border dispute.
On the other hand, Indonesia was the largest trading partner last year with a value of US$391 million. Many Timorese regularly cross the border and people still speak Indonesian.
I believe there is still a chance for Indonesia to improve its relationship.
So where can Indonesia start? The pressing issue for stakeholders in Timor-Leste is full ASEAN membership.
As a professional working here, I can say that institutional capacity still has a lot of room to grow. In this case, the Indonesian government can form a mission that focuses on providing assistance related to Timor-Leste’s bureaucratic reform. This is the key to adjusting to ASEAN standards.
The ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta and the large number of Timorese officials who are fluent in Indonesian are important to support the success of this mission, and I am sure that Dili will be very open to this program.
As a less developed country, robust economic growth is the key to stability. According to the World Bank, around 85 percent of Timor-Leste’s GDP is government spending, indicating private sector timidness.
It’s daunting to identify sectors where Indonesia could assist, as even promising ones face significant issues. Take tourism, for example. Timor-Leste’s pristine landscape offers robust potential for Indonesians. However, the cost factor, especially for flights there, is the main issue that reduces interest.
Timor-Leste recorded $19 million in high-quality coffee exports in 2023, of which 30 percent went to Indonesia. Several stakeholders have mentioned packaging and standardization as main issues.
As a start, the Indonesian government could form another mission focusing on assistance in formulating policies to attract foreign tourists and to develop the coffee industry.
In addition to these missions, by my observation, Indonesia needs to take at least one more action to minimize opposition to mutually improving relations. And that is to provide information on the whereabouts of the remains of former president Nicolau Lobato, who died battling Indonesian troops.
Once again I remind you, the memory of independence is still very strong.
Historical accounts by President Prabowo Subianto mentioned his participation in the 1978 event during which president Lobato fell.
This shared history, although unpleasant, presents a window for dialogue and humanitarian action to triangulate and respect president Lobato’s resting place, an act of meaningful symbolic value for the Timorese people.
I hope that Indonesians will start to leave behind the stereotype of “TimTim” and see Timor-Leste with a new nuance, as a neighbor, a friend and a brother.
Hope exists for development and reconciliation for a better future. We have the opportunity to open a new page, and it is time to take that opportunity.
The writer is an associate at the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change who is currently seconded to the presidency of Timor-Leste. The views expressed are personal.