Australia, Indonesia, and East Timorese Family Reunions

Abstract In 2002 East Timor, following over 20 years of Indonesian occupation, became the world’s youngest sovereign state. The violent nature of Indonesian occupation between 1975 and 1999 led to the displacement of many East Timorese who sought asylum in countries such as Australia and Portugal. This article argues that by trying to seek asylum in Australia, East Timorese refugees complicated Australia’s bipartisan desire to pursue strong diplomatic relations with Indonesia. A hesitancy to recognise East Timorese arrivals as refugees, as a result of these priorities, was reflected through immigration schemes operating in the 1970s and 1980s such as the Family Reunion Program and Special Humanitarian Program. This impacted Australia’s ability to balance its national interests in the Indo-Pacific and its humanitarian obligations, outlined in international legislation such as the 1951 Refugee Convention and 1967 Refugee Protocol. It also reflected broader diplomatic challenges Australia faced when addressing the situation in East Timor. Exploring this turbulent period in Australian foreign policy through the lens of immigration, this article contributes to research examining the role Australia played in the occupation of East Timor. It also investigates the meanings of dual representations of refugees as both victims and agents within migrant-centered historical accounts.