The Katuas look back. The events of 1974-1976 seen through the lenses of CAVR statements

Rui Graça Feijó Centro de Estudos Sociais - Universidade de Coimbra (CES-UC), PORTUGAL
Madalena Salvação Barreto Investigadora Independente

In December 2003, CAVR held public sessions and registered statements (followed by interviews made by commission members) of several Katuas (Xanana, Alkatiti, Ramos-Horta, João Carrascalão) on the events of 1974-1976. A file with type-scripted copies of such statements is serendipitously kept in the National Archive of Timor-Leste, among other boxes pertaining to the Portuguese administration period. As such, they are open to public consultation. This paper considers the ensemble of the Katuas statements and interviews, and attempts to revisit the events of 1974-1976 based on the justification strategies these key figures developed for the early stages of self-determination, bridging a gap between two critical junctures of the recent history of Timor-Leste.