Portuguese envoy holds talks with E. Timor bishops<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The head of Portugal's diplomatic post here, Ana
\nGomes, on Sunday met with two leading East Timor bishops on her
\nsecond day of visit scheduled to end Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Her arrival on Saturday came amidst another outburst of
\nviolence when a priest was stabbed while helping a man being
\nassaulted by a pro-integration group in Maubara, 15 kilometers
\nwest of Dili.<\/p>\n
Gomes, who heads the post called the interest section here,
\nmet on Sunday Baucau bishop Basilio Do Nascimento in Baucau. In
\nthe morning she met Nobel Peace Prize co-laureate Dili Bishop
\nCarlos Felipe Ximenes Belo after attending a morning mass.<\/p>\n
AFP reported from Dili that many tried to shake her hand after
\nmass and she spoke to a few of them in Portuguese.<\/p>\n
Sources in Baucau, Antara reported, said they were \"confused\"
\nas Gomes' visit was unexpected.<\/p>\n
\"She wanted to know latest developments and wanted to meet a
\nnumber of CNRT members regarding recent abductions allegedly
\ninvolving the organization,\" a source said, referring to the
\nNational Council for an Independent East Timor.<\/p>\n
From Baucau, she was to visit the Dili home of pro-
\nindependence activist Manuel Carrascalao, where hundreds of
\nrefugees have sought shelter following reported intimidation
\nagainst them since January.<\/p>\n
From Dili, Antara on Sunday quoted Samsudin, a member of the
\nNational Commission on Human Rights, as saying that Gomes' visit
\naimed \"to help people accept results of the tripartite meeting
\nregarding the province at the United Nations.\"<\/p>\n
The talks in New York resulted in the agreement that a direct
\nballot would be conducted among East Timorese to determine
\nwhether they wanted autonomy with Indonesia or independence.<\/p>\n
Also on Sunday AFP reported from Sydney, Australia that UN
\nSecretary-General Kofi Annan said in an interview screened there
\nthat the Indonesian government on Friday had reiterated its
\ncommitment to release Jose Alexandre \"Xanana\" Gusmao, chairman of
\nCNRT. \"... I am hoping that he will be free before the actual
\nvote takes place,\" Annan said.<\/p>\n
On Saturday bodies of a kidnapped Armed Forces (ABRI) soldier
\nand a civil servant were found near the Air Force base in Baucau.<\/p>\n
The bodies of Sgt. Arie Fuddin and Robert Karorung were found
\nby local villagers. Two other ABRI soldiers, Sgt. Maj. Katimir
\nand Cpl. Nasikin, who allegedly were abducted on Sunday by a pro-
\nindependence group while on a public bus traveling to Baucau from
\nDili, remain missing.<\/p>\n
In Maubara, priest Rafael dos Santos suffered stab wounds when
\n20 members of Besi Merah Putih (Red and White Iron) attacked a
\npublic bus. Rafael was trying to rescue the bus driver, Felice
\nBerto dos Santos, who apparently was attacked for his support of
\nindependence for East Timor.<\/p>\n
The attackers stabbed Felice in the head and left hand when
\nRafael, traveling in his car to a nearby village from Liquica,
\ncame to the aid of Felice.<\/p>\n
Both Felice and Rafael were admitted to Liquica General
\nHospital. While Felice needed intensive medical care, Rafael only
\nreceived minor wounds and was discharged from the hospital.<\/p>\n
Witnesses said the group of youths, most of whose parents
\nallegedly are civil servants or Armed Forces members, stabbed the
\npriest after he attempted to shield Felice from the attack.<\/p>\n
\"You are a Fretilin priest, we hate you Rafael,\" the youths
\nshouted at the priest. The youths then went on a rampage, burning
\nsix houses in the nearby village of Gulolo, forcing the residents
\nto seek refugee in Maubara.<\/p>\n
About 3,000 people marched to Liquica regent Leonito Martins'
\nofficial residence to protest the attack and demand that he
\ndisband the pro-government group within a week.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, refugees from East Timor continue to flock to
\nAtambua, East Nusa Tenggara.<\/p>\n
Belu military chief Lt. Col. Sigit Yuwono said on Saturday at
\nleast 566 families comprising 2,322 people had arrived in Atambua
\nsince January. More than 370 of the families are native East
\nTimorese while 186 families hail from East Nusa Tenggara.
\n(33\/45\/prb\/anr)<\/p>",
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