Naldo Rei was just six months old when Indonesia invaded East Timor in December 1975.
He spent the first three years of his life in the jungle, where his family had fled for safety.
After his father was murdered for his work in the resistance movement, nine-year-old Naldo joined the clandestine resistance.
Throughout his teenage years, Naldo was imprisoned and tortured regularly for his covert opposition to the brutal Indonesian regime.
Now living in an independent East Timor, Naldo tells his story in the newly published book Resistance: A Childhood Fighting for East Timor.
Rebecca Henschke asked him if he feels as if he has achieved the independence he gave up most of his life for.
“After independence there is another struggle to be independent as a people and as a nation. I think to transform the mentality from a resistance fighter to development is the hardest thing in our life time. It will take a long time. The struggle for independence was not just 24 hours it 24 years plus 450 years under colonial rule. We have to understand and work out how to stand-up on our own feet.”
Q. Was it different for someone like you and your fellow fights who were use to fighting with guns- conflict was the way of speaking to change that mentality to a political debate or a debate through to the media?
“I think that was the hardest part because I know how to fight I know how to work in an underground movement, I know how to be secretive but now after independence what is my contribution to society. If I don’t know how to use a computer – if I have never been to school - if I am not well education how can I contribute to the country. So it will take time to prepare ourselves but I think it’s also the responsibility of the state to look into that problem.”
Q. There have been calls by some former guerillas that the state has not done enough for them. Do you feel that as well that the state owes you something because you lost so much- your family, your youth- for the independence movement?
“I never blame the state because no one forced me to fight I was the one who was willing to do so. I also understand the process that it takes so many years. Right now I have to fight to learn how to be independent as a person.”
Q. Are you disappointed with your political leaders- we have seen allot of internal fighting since independence a very poor economic record, high unemployment, how do you feel looking at your country today?
“I feel sad as a resistance fighter I feel sad and think why in the resistance time everyone use to still down and listen to each other and solve problems but why after independence it never happens. I want to see our leaders sitting down together to solve their own problems and not listen to foreign countries who keep telling us what to do. I am really disappointed about this.”
Q. How do you see those problems getting solved- economic problems, poverty?
“The government needs to look at how to use the petroleum fund in an effective way. At the moment we have a very high unemployment rate due to a lack of skills. You know 80 percent of east Timorese youth were education in the Indonesian language but now we are using Portuguese as the official language in the offices.”
Q. So former guerillas like you are finding it very hard to find jobs?
“Yes we are finding it very hard to get jobs but I think I am the luckiest one because I can speak English and I am educated in Australia. For the rest they are finding it very hard to find a job it would be great if they can solve that problem.”
Q. Do you ever think I wish we were still part Indonesia?
“No! I never think I want to part of Indonesia. I am always optimistic never pessimistic. I fought hard for independence and I never ever think we will go back to being back of Indonesia because we are independent now!”
Naldo Rei the author of the newly published book Resistance: A Childhood Fighting for East Timor. He was a guest at the recent Ubud Writers Festival in Bali.
