Thousands welcome Bishop Belo in Dili<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): A sea of supporters shouting \"Viva Bishop Belo\"
\nwelcomed Dili Bishop Carlos Felipe Ximenes Belo when he arrived
\nyesterday in the East Timor capital of Dili from a controversy-
\nplagued trip in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Thousands had gathered at the Komoro airport since morning to
\nwelcome the Nobel Peace Prize laureate. Roads leading to the
\nairport were congested with hundreds of motorcycles and cars.<\/p>\n
The Antara news agency estimated some 25,000 people on the
\nscene, mostly students and youths.<\/p>\n
After disembarking from the plane, Belo called for calm among
\nthe crowds. He then went to his private car, accompanied by a
\nchorus of religious hymns.<\/p>\n
Belo was then taken to Dili Cathedral, where he attended mass.
\nThe trip from the airport to the cathedral, which usually takes a
\nfew minutes, took an hour because many from the crowds crammed
\nthe streets.<\/p>\n
Belo arrived in Dili after attending the Indonesian Bishops'
\nConference held during the past week.<\/p>\n
Belo has been under public scrutiny after reports filtered
\nback of an interview the bishop had done with German magazine Der
\nSpiegel, in which he reportedly said Indonesian soldiers treated
\nEast Timorese like \"scabby dogs\".<\/p>\n
In the October issue of the magazine, Belo also said the East
\nTimorese people were treated like \"slaves\" by the Indonesian
\ngovernment.<\/p>\n
Yesterday's reception in Dili was a sharp contrast to one he
\nreceived in Jakarta, where about 2,000 demonstrators from a youth
\nwing of Golkar launched a protest against him in front of the
\nHouse of Representatives building.<\/p>\n
Following the demonstrations in Jakarta, thousands of youths
\nin Dili staged several days of sit-ins at public places in
\nsupport of Belo. Antara reported that Belo said yesterday the
\ndemonstration of support for him in Dili was caused by the press
\nreports.<\/p>\n
\"The news reports inflated the whole thing,\" he remarked.<\/p>\n
East Timor Vice Governor J. Haribowo concurred. He said the
\npress should have taken a wiser stance on issues concerning the
\nbishop because of the potential of far-reaching impacts.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, in Jakarta, the Attorney General's office has
\nexpressed its intent to summon Belo and ask that he explain his
\ninterview in the German magazine.<\/p>\n
The head of the central intelligence operations, Gatot
\nHendarto, was quoted as saying that the office has the legal
\nright to conduct such a procedure.<\/p>\n
He was quoted in news reports yesterday as saying that Belo
\ncould be summoned anytime.<\/p>\n
Prior to this, members of House Commission I for security and
\npolitical affairs had also expressed their intention to call Belo
\nto a hearing.<\/p>\n
Belo has, thus far, remained silent. He ducked questions from
\nthe press and pleaded for time to hear a recording of the
\ninterview, which was conducted in early October.<\/p>\n
Editors of the magazine, however, have said the interview was
\nnot recorded on tape.<\/p>\n
In Rome, Foreign Minister Ali Alatas met yesterday with his
\nVatican counterpart Archbishop Jean Lous Tauran and later said
\nthat both Indonesia and the Vatican believed that Belo should
\nstay out of politics.<\/p>\n
\"We can not accept him delving into political affairs. That's
\nnot the job he's supposed to do and not the job given to him by
\nthe Vatican,\" Alatas said, reported Antara.<\/p>\n
Alatas was in Rome to accompany President Soeharto, who is
\nattending the World Food Summit.<\/p>\n
Alatas also commented on Belo's planned departure to receive
\nthe Nobel award in Oslo on December 10. He said that Belo should
\nreturn directly to Indonesia after the ceremony.<\/p>\n
\"We don't want to see the Nobel prize exploited by Belo or
\nanyone else to degrade Indonesia,\" Alatas said. (mds)<\/p>",
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