Belo won't vote, says governor<\/p>\n
DILI, East Timor (JP): Dili Bishop Filipe Carlos Ximenes Belo
\nhas confirmed he won't vote in the May 29 general election
\nbecause he will be in the United States, East Timor Governor
\nAbilio Soares said yesterday.<\/p>\n
Soares, while welcoming Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas
\nat Komoro airport, told reporters that Belo would be on his way
\nto Washington from New York on the day that more than 124 million
\nIndonesians will cast their votes.<\/p>\n
\"He will have no time to take part in the election. He will be
\ncarrying out his duty and we cannot stop him,\" Soares said.<\/p>\n
\"As an East Timorese, I believe he is making a trip in the
\ninterests of this province, the country and humankind around the
\nworld,\" he added.<\/p>\n
There has been speculation that Belo has ulterior motives for
\nnot voting. Some sources have said the bishop is disappointed
\nwith organizations which blasted his controversial statements in
\nDer Spiegel magazine last year.<\/p>\n
The election, the seventh in the republic's history and the
\nfourth in this province, will be contested by the United
\nDevelopment Party (PPP), the ruling Golkar and the Indonesian
\nDemocratic Party (PDI).<\/p>\n
Eligible voters will go to 12,496 polling booths across the
\narchipelago, while those abroad can vote at Indonesian embassies.<\/p>\n
Surveys of university students recently revealed that many of
\nthem would probably boycott the general election. And politics
\nexpert Arbi Sanit has predicted that about 20 million people will
\nshun the election.<\/p>\n
Nobel Peace Prize co-winner Belo plans to visit Europe and the
\nUnited States. He will address youth groups on May 10 at Olimpico
\nStadium in Rome on justice and world peace in the 21st century.<\/p>\n
Italy's President Oscar Luigi Scafaro and Rita Barselino, the
\nwidow of an outstanding antimafia judge, will attend his speech.<\/p>\n
Belo will then meet with his counterparts in the United
\nStates. (33\/amd)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/belo-wont-vote-says-governor-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}