Bishop Belo appeals for international assistance

BRISBANE (JP): Dili Bishop Carlos Felipe Ximenes Belo urged Australia to help develop East Timor, especially the educational, rural, health, ecological, social and judicial sectors.

Speaking during a Catholic Mass at St. Stephen's Cathedral, attended by 500 worshipers here over the weekend, Belo said, "We need the support of the global community."

"Being in the Pacific, we look to our closest neighbors for this support. We need not only resources but also encouragement as we journey toward justice and dignity for all our people."

Responding to questions from journalists after the Mass, the Nobel laureate said humanitarian aid was particularly important because of the increasing prospect that Indonesia would grant autonomy or possibly even independence to the East Timorese people.

"We need help to bring East Timor leaders from all sides, not just those from the pro-independence or the pro-integration side, to sit together in talks."

The East Timorese spiritual leader rejected claims that Australia had meddled in internal Indonesian affairs through its ongoing criticism of human rights abuses in East Timor and its advocacy for change.

"It is not (meddling in) Indonesian affairs. This is an international affair. The international community has never recognized Indonesian sovereignty in East Timor."

Belo repeated his recent calls that East Timor should be allowed a 10 to 15 year period as an autonomously governed province within the Indonesian nation before a referendum was held to decide whether it should become an independent, sovereign state.

"It would be impossible to have independence immediately. We lack the resources and infrastructure for self-governance. We need time to prepare ourselves."

He called for patience from those who prefer a quick resolution to East Timor's status. He said a transition period was necessary for dialog, diplomacy, mediation and reconciliation between rival East Timorese groups.

"It is not appropriate to change the status of the region without an appropriate period of consultation."

Bishop Belo made his comments during a two-week visit to Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne to launch "Project Compassion". The project will raise funds for Caritas Australia, an overseas aid and development arm of the Catholic Church.

Caritas Australia collected more than A$4.6 million in 1998 to fund activities in more than 30 countries, including rural development projects in East Timor.

Caritas Australia's education and assistance programs in East Timor aim to increase agricultural output, encourage ecologically sustainable development, assist drought-affected areas and develop infrastructure through the training of local staff and the building of organizational skills. (Angela Romano)