Alas (East Timor) facts for kids
Alas (East Timor) is a town in the Alas Subdistrict. It's located in the middle of the island, about 294 meters (964 feet) above sea level. Imagine a straight line: Alas is about 56 kilometers (35 miles) southeast of Dili, the capital city. It's also about 7 kilometers (4 miles) east of Same.
Some parts of Alas, like Uma Mean and Beremanek, are in a nearby area called Mahaquidan. Other parts, like Lurin and Ailora, are in the Taitudac area.
In Alas, you'll find a medical station and a place for helicopters. There's also a primary school called Escola primaria Alas Vila and a school for older students.
Contents
A Look Back at Alas's History
Early Times and Portuguese Influence
Alas was once a traditional kingdom in Timor. It was ruled by a leader called a Liurai. In 1868, Alas was listed as one of 47 territories governed by Afonso de Castro, a former Governor of Portuguese Timor.
Around the year 1700, a Dominican friar named Manuel de Santo António helped the Liurai of Alas become Christian. Later, in 1761-62, Dom José, who was the Liurai of Alas, joined a special council. This council took over running Portuguese Timor after Governor Sebastião de Azevedo e Brito left.
During a conflict called the Cová rebellion (1868-1871), Alas sent its soldiers to help the Portuguese rulers. However, in a later conflict, the Manufahi rebellion (1911–12), Alas chose to support the rebels instead.
The 1975 Civil War
In 1975, East Timor experienced a civil war. Two groups, the UDT and FRETILIN, had been working together. But during this time, they had many disagreements and conflicts.
Indonesian Occupation and Its Impact
After the Indonesian invasion in December 1975, the FALINTIL resistance movement moved to areas like Alas. Alas became a key base for the resistance in the south-central region.
This base first helped people who had to leave their homes in places like Manatuto, Same, and Dili. By 1978, it also welcomed people from Turiscai. In August 1978, Indonesian forces attacked this base. During a three-month period that followed, many people faced difficult conditions. Thousands of East Timorese either gave up or were taken as prisoners.
People from Alas and other regions were held in military camps. Some were taken to Selihassan or Same. Others were held in temporary camps near Alas town. These included Uma Metan (meaning 'Black House'), about 400 meters south of Alas, and Lebos, about 2 kilometers southwest. Another camp was in Besusu.
At one point, about 8,000 people were held in Uma Metan. Prisoners received very little food and were not allowed to leave to find more. Water was also hard to get. Many people became sick with illnesses like tuberculosis and diarrhoea, and there was no medical help.
The prisoners were made to build a village hall and a school. The school was meant to teach them Indonesian language. However, the "students" were often young female prisoners. Local people believe that many individuals were buried in large graves near Uma Metan.
The Uma Metan and Lebos camps were important military spots for Indonesian forces. They were fighting resistance supporters in the mountains. Alas also served as a main office for local military and civil defense groups.
In 1979, areas that had not been occupied by Indonesian forces came under attack. People living there fled to places like Sarin or Turiscai, which were already controlled by Indonesia. In 1981, people from Bubussuso and Fahinehan were forced to move to Dotik. This happened because they were thought to be helping the FALINTIL resistance fighters with food.
Between 1970 and 1980, the number of people living in Alas went down significantly. The population dropped by 29%, from 5,034 to 3,574.
See Also
