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…