RI to ask for Vatican's assistance in E. Timor<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Religious Affairs Tarmizi Taher,
\ndeparting for the Vatican yesterday, said he would appeal for
\nCatholic leaders' help in finding resolutions to the religious
\ntension in East Timor.<\/p>\n
\"I hope my explanation about (the territory) will touch the
\nVatican leaders, and that they will help solve problems,
\nespecially regarding the Dili diocese,\" he told reporters.<\/p>\n
However, the government will not intervene in \"organizational
\nmatters\" of the papal government which concerns its jurisdiction
\nover East Timor' diocese, he said.<\/p>\n
The East Timor diocese, under the leadership of Bishop Felipe
\nXimenes Belo, is not under the Indonesian Bishop Conference;
\ninstead, it is accountable directly to Rome.<\/p>\n
Following the tension in the province, some parties have
\ndemanded that Belo join the Indonesian Bishop Conference as a way
\nto reduce friction.<\/p>\n
\"We will just explain, and hope they'll listen and help for
\nthe sake of everybody,\" Tarmizi was quoted as saying by Antara.<\/p>\n
The minister left yesterday for a four-day visit to the
\nVatican, accompanied by representatives of the Indonesian Council
\nof Ulemas, the Indonesian Communion of Churches, the Indonesian
\nBishop Conference, officials and a number of legislators.<\/p>\n
Tarmizi will pay a courtesy call to Pope John Paul II.<\/p>\n
He said yesterday that he will explain how the Indonesian
\ncommunity has done its part in solving the racial and religious
\ntension in the predominantly Catholic province.<\/p>\n
An example of the efforts was the Forum for Communication and
\nConsultancy for Religious Leaders, established on Tuesday in a
\nbid to restore religious harmony following the recent riots
\nthere.<\/p>\n
\"The (forum) people made those efforts because they wished to
\nplace the interests of the public above individual or group
\ninterests,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Tarmizi accused \"anti-integration elements\" as being behind
\nthe unrest in East Timor, feeding on the sensitive issue of
\nreligious differences. \"Their scenario makes the question of East
\nTimor even more difficult to resolve,\" he said. (swe)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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