Sander Thoenes
Encyclopedia
Sander Thoenes was a Dutch journalist who was killed in Dili
, East Timor
, while covering the arrival of peacekeeping troops
with the International Force for East Timor (INTERFET) during the Indonesian occupation of East Timor
.
, the Netherlands, the youngest of three brothers. He was educated at Gymnasium St. Jacobus college in Enschede (1981-1987) and studied English literature and modern Russian history at Hampshire College
in Amherst
, Massachusetts, USA (1987-1992). During his time at Hampshire college Theones learned to speak and write Russian fluently.
in August, 1992. Here Thoenes worked for the English language paper Moscow Times. He went on to write for the Dutch weekly Vrij Nederland
and served as correspondent
for U.S. News and World Report where he reported from Chechnya
in 1995. In 1996 he relocated to Almaty
, Kazakhstan
and covered Central Asia
, including Uzbekistan
, Turkmenistan
and Afghanistan
for the Financial Times
. In September, 1997 he moved to Jakarta
, Indonesia
, still working as a correspondent for the Financial Times. There he reported the Asian Financial Crisis and the fall of President Suharto.
peace keepers discovered Thoenes’ body with fatal gunshot wounds in the back yard of a house near the East Timorese capital of Dili on September 21, 1999.. Florindo Araujo, a motorcycle driver who was transporting Thoenes on the day of his murder, told reporters that he was stopped by at least six men wearing gray Indonesian police uniforms at a roadblock while on route to Becora, a suburb of Dili. Araujo and Thoenes turned around and were pursued by the police who opened fire, brought the motorcycle down and continued to shoot. Araujo managed to run to cover in nearby jungle, still under fire. He said the last time he saw Thoenes, he was lying on the road where he was executed. Two Indonesian army officers, Lt. Camilo dos Santos and Maj. Jacob Djoko Sarosa were believed to be responsible for his murder.
Thoenes' death marked the first time a foreign reporter died in East Timor since 1975. He posthumously received a press freedom
award from the Washington D.C. based National Press Club (NPC) in 2000.
The Financial Times set up the Sander Thoenes Prize in his honour. The award offers recent journalism graduates, each year, a three-month internship at the Financial Times headquarters in London and a scholarship to cover living expenses.
The Jakarta Foreign Correspondents Club
(JFCC) announced a scholarship fund in his honor on September 7, 2006. The annual JFCC scholarship is awarded to support the training of East Timorese journalists.
Dili
Dili, spelled Díli in Portuguese, is the capital, largest city, chief port and commercial centre of East Timor.-Geography and Administration:Dili lies on the northern coast of Timor island, the easternmost of the Lesser Sunda Islands....
, East Timor
East Timor
The Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, commonly known as East Timor , is a state in Southeast Asia. It comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor, the nearby islands of Atauro and Jaco, and Oecusse, an exclave on the northwestern side of the island, within Indonesian West Timor...
, while covering the arrival of peacekeeping troops
Peacekeeping
Peacekeeping is an activity that aims to create the conditions for lasting peace. It is distinguished from both peacebuilding and peacemaking....
with the International Force for East Timor (INTERFET) during the Indonesian occupation of East Timor
Indonesian occupation of East Timor
Indonesia occupied East Timor from December 1975 to October 1999. After centuries of Portuguese colonial rule in East Timor, a 1974 coup in Portugal led to decolonization among its former colonies, creating instability in East Timor and leaving its future uncertain...
.
Early life
Thoenes was born in EnschedeEnschede
Enschede , also known as Eanske in the local dialect of Twents, is a municipality and a city in the eastern Netherlands in the province of Overijssel and in the Twente region...
, the Netherlands, the youngest of three brothers. He was educated at Gymnasium St. Jacobus college in Enschede (1981-1987) and studied English literature and modern Russian history at Hampshire College
Hampshire College
Hampshire College is a private liberal arts college in Amherst, Massachusetts. It was founded in 1965 as an experiment in alternative education, in association with four other colleges in the Pioneer Valley: Amherst College, Smith College, Mount Holyoke College, and the University of Massachusetts...
in Amherst
Amherst, Massachusetts
Amherst is a town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States in the Connecticut River valley. As of the 2010 census, the population was 37,819, making it the largest community in Hampshire County . The town is home to Amherst College, Hampshire College, and the University of Massachusetts...
, Massachusetts, USA (1987-1992). During his time at Hampshire college Theones learned to speak and write Russian fluently.
Career
After studying for his journalism career at the Centre for Investigative Reporting in San Francisco he moved to MoscowMoscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
in August, 1992. Here Thoenes worked for the English language paper Moscow Times. He went on to write for the Dutch weekly Vrij Nederland
Vrij Nederland
Vrij Nederland is a Dutch magazine which was established during the German occupation of the Netherlands in World War II as an underground newspaper but has since grown into a magazine. The weekly magazine is generally considered to be intellectually left-wing...
and served as correspondent
Correspondent
A correspondent or on-the-scene reporter is a journalist or commentator, or more general speaking, an agent who contributes reports to a newspaper, or radio or television news, or another type of company, from a remote, often distant, location. A foreign correspondent is stationed in a foreign...
for U.S. News and World Report where he reported from Chechnya
Chechnya
The Chechen Republic , commonly referred to as Chechnya , also spelled Chechnia or Chechenia, sometimes referred to as Ichkeria , is a federal subject of Russia . It is located in the southeastern part of Europe in the Northern Caucasus mountains. The capital of the republic is the city of Grozny...
in 1995. In 1996 he relocated to Almaty
Almaty
Almaty , also known by its former names Verny and Alma-Ata , is the former capital of Kazakhstan and the nation's largest city, with a population of 1,348,500...
, Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Ranked as the ninth largest country in the world, it is also the world's largest landlocked country; its territory of is greater than Western Europe...
and covered Central Asia
Central Asia
Central Asia is a core region of the Asian continent from the Caspian Sea in the west, China in the east, Afghanistan in the south, and Russia in the north...
, including Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan , officially the Republic of Uzbekistan is a doubly landlocked country in Central Asia and one of the six independent Turkic states. It shares borders with Kazakhstan to the west and to the north, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to the east, and Afghanistan and Turkmenistan to the south....
, Turkmenistan
Turkmenistan
Turkmenistan , formerly also known as Turkmenia is one of the Turkic states in Central Asia. Until 1991, it was a constituent republic of the Soviet Union, the Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic . Turkmenistan is one of the six independent Turkic states...
and Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
for the Financial Times
Financial Times
The Financial Times is an international business newspaper. It is a morning daily newspaper published in London and printed in 24 cities around the world. Its primary rival is the Wall Street Journal, published in New York City....
. In September, 1997 he moved to Jakarta
Jakarta
Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre...
, Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
, still working as a correspondent for the Financial Times. There he reported the Asian Financial Crisis and the fall of President Suharto.
Death
Australian-led UNUnited Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
peace keepers discovered Thoenes’ body with fatal gunshot wounds in the back yard of a house near the East Timorese capital of Dili on September 21, 1999.. Florindo Araujo, a motorcycle driver who was transporting Thoenes on the day of his murder, told reporters that he was stopped by at least six men wearing gray Indonesian police uniforms at a roadblock while on route to Becora, a suburb of Dili. Araujo and Thoenes turned around and were pursued by the police who opened fire, brought the motorcycle down and continued to shoot. Araujo managed to run to cover in nearby jungle, still under fire. He said the last time he saw Thoenes, he was lying on the road where he was executed. Two Indonesian army officers, Lt. Camilo dos Santos and Maj. Jacob Djoko Sarosa were believed to be responsible for his murder.
Thoenes' death marked the first time a foreign reporter died in East Timor since 1975. He posthumously received a press freedom
Freedom of the press
Freedom of the press or freedom of the media is the freedom of communication and expression through vehicles including various electronic media and published materials...
award from the Washington D.C. based National Press Club (NPC) in 2000.
The Financial Times set up the Sander Thoenes Prize in his honour. The award offers recent journalism graduates, each year, a three-month internship at the Financial Times headquarters in London and a scholarship to cover living expenses.
The Jakarta Foreign Correspondents Club
Jakarta Foreign Correspondents Club
The Jakarta Foreign Correspondents Club is a non-profit organization for international journalists in Indonesia.The group has more than 250 members and 50 foreign media organizations . Its members include foreign journalists, Indonesian journalists, diplomats, analysts, business people and...
(JFCC) announced a scholarship fund in his honor on September 7, 2006. The annual JFCC scholarship is awarded to support the training of East Timorese journalists.
External links
- Sander Memorial site
- Financial Times Sander Thoenes award