Few new nations have endured a birth as traumatic as that endured by Asia's youngest country, East Timor. Born amid the flames, pillage and mayhem that surrounded Indonesia 's reluctant withdrawal in 1999, it has been struggling for years to rebuild itself from the ashes. The author, one of a handful of journalists to refuse to be evacuated during the nightmarish Indonesian withdrawl, stayed on to report East Timor to the world, and to keep faith with the East Timorese whose story she wanted to tell.Her book is a vivid first-hand account of the lives of individual Timorese during the long decades of Indonesia 's repressive occupation, their often heroic struggle for freedom, and their efforts to cope with the dramatic historic shifts engulfing them and their endeavours to rebuild their homeland.
Based on years of research, and lengthy interviews with East Timor 's leaders, priests, nuns, students and guerrilla fighters, this moving and extremely readable book is at the same time also an exploration of the complexities of the country's internal politics.

'The author's knowledge, understanding and love of the country shine from every page. This will surely become the definitive account of East Timor's most traumatic years.'
Fergal Keane, BBC Special Correspondent and author of Season of Blood

'If there is another journalist who knows as much about East Timor as Irena Cristalis, I haven't met them. Bitter Dawn is informative, vividly written, and acutely observed.'
Jonathan Mirsky, ex-East Asia editor, The Times

'Irena Cristalis's account stands out as a literary gem. A tale of courage and humanity on a colossal scale - a truly riveting book.'
Peter Carey, Trinity College, Oxford

'Irena Cristalis writes as a committed witness. Her portraits of many of the individuals, high and low, who steered the struggle to its final victory give her account a special feeling of immediacy and warmth.'
Carmel Budiardjo, author of Surviving Indonesia's Gulag

'This is the book to read. Possibly the best account of the tragic events that preceded and followed in the wake of the ballot on August 30, 1999.... A highly readable book full of drama and tenderness for the victims of those terrible events.. [and] studded with beautifully crafted portraits of individuals trying to adjust to the situation'
TAPOL, the Indonesia Human Rights Campaign, August 2002

'A highly readable book full of drama and tenderness for the victims of those terrible events'
Jakarta Post

'Irena Cristalis' eye-witness account of East Timor's struggle for independence and justice combines a thorough understanding of the country with a deep commitment to its people.'
John G Taylor, author of East Timor: The Price of Freedom

Irena Cristalis, who also writes and broadcasts under the byline, Irene Slegt, is a Dutch journalist and photographer, who since 1990 has been based in Asia, including at various times Hong Kong, Beijing, Bangkok, New Delhi and East Timor. Her photos and reports on China, Indonesia and many other Asian countries have been used by newspapers, magazines and radio stations around the world, including the Guardian, the Independent, the New York Times, The Economist, and the BBC. Her second book on East Timor: Independent Women, The story of women's activism in East Timor, co-written with Catherine Scott, was published in 2004. Since 2007 she has been living in London with her husband and small son.