‘Balibo 5’ remembered 50 years on

In a day marked with sadness, reflection and hope hundreds of people including family, friends, officials, and local Timorese have gathered in the remote town of Balibo, Timor-Leste to remember the Balibo 5. 

The five, Australians Greg Shackleton and Tony Stewart, Kiwi cameraman Gary Cunningham and Britons Brian Peters and Malcolm Rennie worked for Channels 7 & 9, and travelled to the small south-east Asian nation in 1975 to investigate allegations of Indonesian incursions. 

The small nation, recently de-colonised by Portugal, was hoping to gain independence, but neighbouring Indonesia had other ideas.

Despite warnings an invasion was imminent, the newsmen chose to stay, mistakenly believing they’d be protected as journalists and because they were from Australia.

Instead they were brutally murdered; shot dead and their bodies burned.  Indonesia at the time claimed they were caught in cross-fire, but secret documents released years later showed they were in fact executed.  Another journalist Roger East, who travelled to East Timor to investigate their deaths, was also executed. 

Timor-Leste President José Ramos-Horta remembers the events of October 16th 1975 clearly. He was one of the founding members of the Fretilin party and had been hosting international journalists for months trying to let the world know his country was ready to self-govern. 

He drove Channel 9’s Malcolm Rennie and Brian Peters to Balibo just days before their murders. Journalists Shackleton, Cunningham and Stewart were already there.  Ramos-Horta spent a couple of nights with the men before getting a radio message from Fretilin leader Nicolau Lobato. 

‘We were staying on the dirty cement floor of an old, abandoned Chinese store.  I told them, I had to return to Dili, and it was better that we all go back because it was obvious the Indonesian side were going to attack Balibo.’

The ‘Chinese house’ where their bodies were burned. Image supplied/amc

But the men wanted to stay and cover the story of a lifetime.

 ‘All of these years later I still regret I didn't force them to leave. No way would I imagine the Indonesians would kill them.’

50 years on the Balibo 5 have become a symbol of press freedom. 

At a commemoration service on October 16th, 2025, a public interest journalism scholarship was announced for young Timorese, supported by Australian broadcaster ABC.

Officials being welcomed by community (with local Timorese dancers). Image supplied/amc

President of the Timor-Leste Press Council Antonio Moniz Mali told the gathering the Balibo 5 showed courage and sacrifice in the pursuit of truth and ‘unfortunately it is never without a cost’.  He also spoke of the importance of ensuring no one is silenced for seeking it.  ‘Justice has not yet prevailed’ he told those gathered, ‘let us continue to find the truth, so their sacrifice is not forgotten.’

Candle lighting outside the ‘Chinese house’ where their bodies were burned. Image supplied/amc

Greg Shackleton’s son Evan and his family travelled to Balibo for this year’s memorial.  They too are still seeking answers from the Australian Government, ‘It's 50 years ago. Why are they still hiding this? It’s time they released all the documents.’

Evan Shackleton with his family on stage being given a T-shirt. Image supplied/amc

Questions have also remained over the final resting place of the Balibo 5.  According to officials after their bodies were burned the ashes were shipped to Jakarta, something Evan doubts.

“They're not in Jakarta. The Indonesian military handed over a box of remains to the Australian Embassy, so all five in one box. Someone there figured it out for themselves. There was something wrong about that, so they poured the shared remains into five separate boxes.” He says he doesn’t believe it’s them. “I don't want it to be them. They're here. My father's here, I can feel it.”

New Zealand cameraman Gary Cunningham (left) left behind a brother, a sister and a son he never knew existed.  Brother, Greig says they would also like to see some acknowledgement from the New Zealand government for its role in the cover-up. 

‘We are still waiting for an apology. I think it is about time we received one.’  And he believes it is time all the documents held by the Government of New Zealand are released.  

While they didn’t travel to Balibo this year the Cunningham’s attended a special service held in Melbourne (on October 20) where Gary along with his colleagues were awarded the Order of Timor-Leste by President José Ramos-Horta. 

Young Kiwi cameraman Gary Cunningham. Image supplied/amc

-Asia Media Centre