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)