Population loss in Portuguese Timor during WW2 revisited

The 20th century in Timor-Leste was marked by mass violence, including the Manufahi Rebellion against Portuguese rule and brutal Indonesian occupation, with the Japanese occupation often overlooked. A document recently discovered reveals 32,368 deaths due to unnatural causes and murder during the Japanese occupation, prompting a reassessment of the death toll estimates. Using census data, an estimate of around 50,000 deaths from malnutrition and disease during the Japanese occupation is proposed, aligning with historical estimates of the death toll in Portuguese Timor.

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