[TimorLesteStudies] TLSA tribute to Dr James Scambary

[Michael Leach]

It is with great sadness that we have learned of the passing of our colleague and friend Dr James Scambary. He died peacefully last night in hospital with close family around him.

James rose to prominence with his groundbreaking studies on Timorese youth groups and martial arts gangs<http://www.etan.org/etanpdf/2006/Report_Youth_Gangs_in_Dili.pdf>. He became a well-known commentator on security and political issues in Timor-Leste, including his widely cited analyses <https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14678800902925184> of the 2006-2007 political-military crisis, and a host of other publications<https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=q9TttCUAAAAJ&hl=en>.

It is perhaps less well-known that James had worked in Community Radio in Lospalos in the early 2000s. James was also centrally involved in the establishment of Timor-Leste Studies Association, as one of the main organisers of first two TLSA research conferences in Dili, in 2009 and 2011. James went on to complete his PhD at ANU, and secured a research fellowship at Deakin University in Melbourne. James was most recently a Lecturer at RMIT University.

More importantly, James was a wonderful colleague and a great friend to many in Australia, Timor-Leste, Portugal, Brasil and elsewhere. His amiable demeanour was always combined with an entertaining wit, an insightful quick mind and a deep sense of justice. He will be sorely missed by all his colleagues and the TLSA sends its deepest condolences to his family.

4 July 2019 James launching his book with the community in Bairro Pite in Dili, where he did fieldwork and lived

[cid:cf70b58a-df19-4095-9228-10b6aed244e4]

Sara Niner and Michael Leach
Timor-Leste Studies Association

<http://www.swinburne.edu.au/health-arts-design/staff-profiles/view.php?who=mleach>
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