Alfredo Pires, East Timorese
There was a saying in that war, that for punishment the Japanese were bad, very cruel, but for justice the Australians were worse. The Japanese may torture, punish, try to get you to tell, but it is not certain you will die, but if the Australians suspect you, you’re dead. The Australians had to rely on what other Timorese told them, and people have grudges, dislikes for others, or want to appear to know things... But I understand how it was for the Australians: in a war like that your life every day depends on destroying first those who may kill you. In that situation if I suspected someone might betray me maybe I too would kill them.
(Michelle Turner, Telling East Timor, Personal Testimonies 1942 - 1992, University of New South Wales Press, Sydney, 1992, page 38)