A group including Chris went to see the Chega! Exhibition in the old Balide gaol. The Museum details many of the nightmares experienced by East Timorese people during World War II, and during the Invasion and Occupation which ended in 1999. It is a deeply moving multi-media experience, giving people the chance to reflect on the history of East Timor and its effects on the people.
Chris said: “Many times people pointed out to me the Santa Cruz cemetery where the massacre took place. One day Vitál took the time to stop and tell the story of what happened. It was a powerful experience for me.”
He continued, “The interesting thing that occurred to me in this Year of Mercy is that for all the deplorable things that happened in the Balide Gaol and all over Timor, there is now somewhere else in the world that the same things are occurring and we manage to remain blind and not see.”
