A special service will be held at Saint Mary's Star of the Sea Catholic Cathedral in Darwin on Sunday to mark the 26th anniversary of the Santa Cruz Cemetery Massacre of 271 people by Indonesian forces .
In the cathedral will be four traditionally woven East Timor tais made by Veronica Pereira , above, called the grandmother of Timorese culture, now a Darwin resident, bearing the names of all those murdered on November 12, 1991.
At the massacre were American independent reporters Amy Goodman and Allan Nairn who tried to shield the Timorese who were demonstrating for independence. Nairn received a fracture skull when he threw himself over Goodman to protect her from being clubbed by the weapons of the rampaging Indonesians.
Film of the slaughter was smuggled to the outside world via Darwin . Nairn attended the 25th anniversary in Dili last year. Award winning reporter Goodman presents Democracy Now.
It is not known if Townsville , a military garrison city in which a considerable number of ADF members served in East Timor in the vital peace force which resulted in independence , will hold a special massacre service .
A unique barber shop in Townsville contains much militaria , including the East Timor police riot shield seen here .
A unique barber shop in Townsville contains much militaria , including the East Timor police riot shield seen here .
