How many Timorese police officers does it take to change a lightbulb? None, because they're all too busy beating the snot out of civilians.

This video was shot on Atauro island in November during Timor-Leste's first international sport-fishing competition. The competition was ironically part of the drive by Ramos-Horta et al to promote Timor-Leste as a country of peace, somewhere everyone should want to visit. Atauro island is about 25 kilometres off the coast of Dili. Timorese police officers beat this man down allegedly just because he held up a sign saying "Fishing Group from Maunroni Village".

There must be more to why they set upon this man, surely. Right? This can't have happened because he held up a sign. Right?! Regardless, no matter what the story is behind this attack, nothing can ever justify such behaviour by members of Timor-Leste's joke of a police force.

This video has surfaced fresh off the back of a Timorese police officer allegedly shooting to death a 25-year-old Timorese man during a fracas at a wedding in Dili. There are a few things that struck me about this video. Firstly, watch the imbecilic way the police officers try to subdue the man. How on earth can police officers like that be entrusted with guns?

Secondly, there are UNPOL officers in the background. They do nothing while the Timorese police officers swarm around one man. Come on, UNPOL. Haven't you been training these guys? We keep getting press releases about how successful the police handover has been thus far, and yet incidents like this keep cropping up.

At 1.15, am I right in thinking that one of the officers hits the man with the butt of a rifle?! The victim was armed with a piece of cardboard! Have any of these co-called protecters of the nation been punished, sent on indefinite leave or fired? Of course not.

I've seen for myself the way police in Dili deal do "crowd control". It's appalling. They use batons, fists and feet. How else can you label them except as animals? They are aggressive, thoughtless and reckless. Are you proud of your paramilitary force, Longuinhos?

If there’s one thing Indonesia certainly does have, it’s a thriving music scene, even more so than Thailand from what I can see. I listen to as much Indonesian music as I can, especially when the music videos are played on television because they usually put the lyrics up karaoke style.

It’s like the law that every song in Indonesia has to be about love in some shape or form, which is fine by me because it means lyrics are reasonably easy to understand.

The first Indonesian song I got into was Puspa by ST12, which is a tune everyone in Timor-Leste adores. More recently, ST12 did this track called Biarkan Jatuh Cinta, which I rather like.

My favourite band at the moment is this Tatu-esque pop duo called The Virgin. They’ve been getting lots of attention recently. They must be a marketer’s dream. One is billed as the “tomboy”, while the other is the “girly” girl. Mulan Jameela did a great song with Mita from The Virgin called Cinta Mati.

Everyone’s favourite adulterer Krisdayanti still hogs headlines and airtime, but I find it difficult to enjoy listening to any of her music because she seems like an attention-seeking *****. I cannot imagine how the separation with her husband has affected the pair’s children. I'm sure Raul Lemmos, KD's new partner, also has a wife in Jakarta. Actually, I've lost track of this bizarre love-web.

The children only have to switch on a television to be confronted by music videos by both their mother and father cashing in and singing about the separation. What dignity! One of Kris’s more ironic songs is Aku Wanita Biasa, or I’m an Ordinary Woman. Obviously.

At the other end of the musical spectrum you get groups like String with this not-so-instant classic called Honey Bunny Sweety. String are kind of like the Spice Girls all over again. Some imaginative A+R guy has taken five girls who can’t sing, can’t dance and can’t follow choreography, and he’s made them into a pop group. It’s a work of genius because the ringtones sell like fresh durian.

I’ve yet to really get much beyond the pop and indie scenes. I’m sure that given how big the country is and how thriving Jakarta is that there are producers making electronic music. Maybe someone can point me in the right direction.

Last September I decided that I wanted to learn Bahasa Indonesia. This is the first time in my that I’ve really tried to master a language. I learnt French and German for a few years when I was younger, but at that age I didn’t care much for anything I was taught in school. After the three or four years I spent in Thailand I picked up enough Thai that I could hold simple conversations, but I didn’t delve too deep into it, which was always one of my regrets.

Living in Timor-Leste, I was, at first, keen to learn Tetum. I bought the language book everyone seems to have and I ploughed through the first half-dozen chapters, but after that I became lazy and always found other things, mostly work, to do instead.

With this cloud of shame looming over me, I took up the challenge of learning Bahasa Indonesia, partly because it’s spoken in Timor-Leste, but most of all because I’m aiming to gradually move myself into Indonesia, part of which includes hopefully doing my masters in Southeast Asian studies later this year.

As far as the language goes, I started in September by downloading free material from a couple of websites. This helped me pick up the basics by myself. Work took a backseat for a few weeks as I spent much of my time going through various exercises.

At the end of October I went to the IALF Language Centre in Bali and did a couple of weeks’ one-on-one tuition. It was expensive, but gave me a better understanding of how the verbs work. At the end of it they gave me a certificate and said I’d passed their Level 3, although it isn’t accredited. IALF also does regular classes, two hours a day over four weeks.

I got a lot of material for IALF, which I carried on using after I’d finished studying there. I also bought myself a couple of books, including Bahasa Indonesia: Book Two by Yohanni Johns, which is particularly useful.

I started buying newspapers and watching a lot of television. The channels in Indonesia show Western movies with Bahasa Indonesia subtitles every day. So I’ve been reading my books and watching films and listening to Indonesian music.

With the basics nailed, I’m now in Salatiga, Java, doing a six-week intensive course at Satya Wacana Universitas Kristen’s Language Training Center. The course is accredited by the Australian National University (ANU) and it seems to be regarded as one of the best around for Indonesian language.

I took a placement test and was put on the Level 3 (of six) course, which is equivalent to ANU’s 2A. We get about 72 contact hours over four weeks and there are quizzes, tests and a field assignment. We just finished the first week and it was hardcore.

Most of the other participants here are ANU students. They’re all about 18 or 19, I think, so I feel a bit old (I’m 27). Most of them know each other and they’re all pretty lively.

I’m not so interested in the course’s cultural activities or the social side of being here. The only reason I’m on this course is to improve my language skills. Saying that, I’m enjoying the learning process and find myself itching to get to class every morning.

The course is rather expensive compared to others (AU$2,685), but the fee includes accommodation with an Indonesian family and all my meals. I don’t have to pay for anything really expect 2,000 rupiah each way to school and back by angkota.

The house I’m staying in is modern, I have my own room, the family are great and I’m very well fed. I will be here until February 13, but I’m still contactable by email if needed.

I was sat on the beach in Kuta and one of those chaps selling blowpipes and bows-and-arrows stopped by.

Him: Hey. You want look?

Me: I have no use for a bow-and-arrow.

Him: Use for decoration. See. Looks good.

Me: I don't even have a home to put it in. What would I possibly do with it?

Him: It's good for killing cat, see? You can use to shoot cat.

Me: But I like cats.

Him: OK. See you.