Event

Santa Cruz massacre

1991 · 20th century · Also known as Dili massacre

The Santa Cruz massacre took place on 12 November 1991, when Indonesian troops opened fire on mourners and pro-independence demonstrators at the Santa Cruz cemetery in Dili, East Timor. Estimates of the dead range up to around 250. Filmed by foreign journalists, the killings drew world attention to the Indonesian occupation and strengthened international support for East Timorese self-determination.

Santa Cruz massacre
Image: Scartol · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Mentioned in 1 state history

East Timor

See also

Cite this entry
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). Santa Cruz massacre. In The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/santa-cruz-massacre
MLA
“Santa Cruz massacre.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/santa-cruz-massacre. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “Santa Cruz massacre.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/santa-cruz-massacre.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Santa Cruz massacre’, The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/santa-cruz-massacre (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random entry ↻