Belo and Horta receive Nobel peace prize

Belo and Horta receive Nobel peace prize

JAKARTA (JP): Two East Timorese, Bishop Carlos Felipe Ximenes
Belo and Fretilin separatist leader Jose Ramos Horta, were
awarded the 1996 Nobel peace prize yesterday.

Belo becomes the first Indonesian to receive the prestigious
award. He and Horta now join the prestigious list of laureates
which includes Myanmarese pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi
and Palestinian President Yasser Arafat.

"The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided to award the Nobel
Peace Prize for 1996, in two equal parts, to Carlos Felipe
Ximenes Belo and Jose Ramos Horta for their work towards a just
and peaceful solution to the conflict in East Timor," the Nobel
committee said in their text announcement, as quoted by Reuters
from Oslo.

The two men will split a cash award of 7.4 million Swedish
kronor (US$1.12 million) to be presented at a ceremony in Oslo on
Dec. 10 that coincides with the 100th anniversary of Alfred
Nobel's death.

Belo, in Dili, East Timor, said he felt "quite normal" when
being told he won the award. He was informed while leading a mass
at a church.

"This is not only for me, but for all the people of East Timor
and for all of us, including those who have worked for peace in
East Timor," said the 48-year-old bishop at his home yesterday
evening.

Belo was kept busy yesterday evening with calls and guests
congratulating him on the award.

"This is for everyone, institutions or individuals, who have
worked for human rights," he said.

While not regarded as an opponent of integration, Belo has
been a vocal critic of the Indonesian government's policies since
becoming bishop of the province in 1988.

The former Portuguese colony of East Timor was integrated as
Indonesia's 27th province in 1976. Thirty years later, a small
but active separatist group continues to wage a stinging campaign
against integration.

Horta, 46, currently lives in Australia and heads the National
Council for East Timorese Resistance.

Reactions

Reaction in Indonesia over Belo and Horta's award was mixed.

Antonio Freitas Parada, speaker at the East Timor provincial
legislature, said Belo was "too young" to be nominated. He even
pointed to another priest, Padre Don Jose, whom he considers more
deserving of the prize.

Parada was uncompromising on Horta's selection, saying he is
not at all fit. Parada charged that it was Horta who helped
perpetuate the civil war in East Timor.

Separately, F.X. Lopes da Cruz, vice-governor of the province
between 1976-1982, responded dourly here yesterday, but said
Belo's award was acceptable.

"I think in Horta's case, its a bit controversial," he told
The Jakarta Post. "How could someone who usually stirs up trouble
receive the award?," he remarked.

Meanwhile, government officials disparaged Horta's inclusion
as a joint winner.

Indonesia's ambassador in Canberra, Wiryono Sastrohandoyo, was
quoted by Antara as saying that Horta has "too much blood on his
hands".

In Jakarta, the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affair's
Director of Information, Ghaffar Fadhyl, expressed "regret" that
a "political opportunist" such as Horta was chosen.

"The Indonesian government considers Horta a political
opportunist manipulating the political situation in East Timor,"
he said.

State Minister/State Secretary Moerdiono, speaking in his
private capacity, expressed "shock" when he learned of the
announcement.

He questioned why the aspirations of the majority of East
Timorese, who supported integration, were not considered when the
Nobel committee chose Horta. He further questioned the criteria
in which the selection was made.

The Noble committee in their announcement in Oslo said they
wanted to honor Belo and Horta's "sustained and self-sacrificing"
contributions.

"The Nobel Committee hopes that this award will spur efforts
to find a diplomatic solution to the conflict in East Timor based
on the people's right to self-determination," it said.

Yesterday's announcement comes just days prior to President
Soeharto's visit to Dili.

A spokesman for Australian Minister of Foreign Affairs
Alexander Downer in Sydney was quoted by AFP as saying that
Belo's award was "well-deserved".

In Vatican City, spokesman Father Carlos Garulo said he was
happily surprised to hear the news. "He had already been a
candidate for the Nobel prize twice. We no longer believed it
could happen," he remarked. (03/mds)