When East Timor formally celebrated its independence in May, it closed the chapter on four centuries of stern Portuguese colonization and 24 years of brutal Indonesian occupation. The mood was finally one of hope for the future, of anticipation of a peace dividend. Some commentators even spoke of the fledgling country as a template for nation building in Afghanistan.
But last week East Timor got a reality check. A protest that turned ugly resulted in the worst violence since the 1999 vote for independence, when the Indonesian military and its local militia henchmen killed up to 2,000 East...
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