'Bishop Belo has freedom to express his views'

'Bishop Belo has freedom to express his views'

JAKARTA (JP): The government will not tell East Timor's Roman
Catholic bishop, Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo, what to say when he
receives his share of this year's Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo on
Dec. 10, a senior cabinet minister said here yesterday.

Coordinating Minister for Political Affairs and Security
Soesilo Soedarman said, however, that although Belo is free to
express his ideas, he should not discredit the Indonesian
government.

"Neither has the government any special messages for Belo to
convey during his speech in Oslo," Soesilo said.

Belo, who shares this year's Nobel Peace Prize with East Timor
separatist leader Jose Ramos Horta, is determined go to Oslo to
fetch the prestigious award.

The 48-year-old bishop has asked Catholic priest Y.B.
Mangunwijaya to go with him. Also planning to attend the ceremony
is Chairman of the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) Moslem organization
Abdurrahman Wahid.

Soesilo said the government hopes Belo will not rekindle the
controversy he started by allegedly accusing the Indonesian
government of abusing East Timorese in a recent interview with a
German magazine.

"That is our stand," Soesilo said.

Bishop Belo's plan to fetch the Nobel award has been shadowed
by the controversy he triggered when Der Spiegel magazine quoted
him saying the Armed Forces treated East Timorese like scabby
dogs and slaves.

The article angered the military and provoked protests in
Jakarta. The reaction prompted massive counter protests in Dili
supporting the bishop and denouncing the treatment he received
during his visit to Jakarta to attend the meeting of the
Indonesian Bishops Conference (KWI) last month.

Belo denied making the statements and accused the German
magazine of manipulating his April interview to make it sound
anti-Indonesian government.

He said he had no intention of discrediting the Indonesian
government or Armed Forces. He also claimed he had not known the
expression "scabby dogs" in English, and only found out after it
was quoted and published in the mass media.

The government said it "could understand" Belo's critical
remarks but advised him to be careful next time he made
statements.

Belo's explanation has not ended the controversy.

Armed Forces Chief for Sociopolitical Affairs Lt. Gen. Syarwan
Hamid suggested yesterday that Belo sue the German magazine for
twisting his comments.

Asked whether it was necessary for Belo to take legal action
against the German magazine, Syarwan said the decision would
mainly rest with the bishop.

"We will support him if he exercises his right to sue Der
Spiegel," Syarwan said.

He said the problem was not between Belo and the Armed Forces,
but between the bishop and the magazine.

Syarwan denied reports that the Belo-ABRI relationship has
deteriorated since the publication of the article.

"The Armed Forces maintains contact until now. We the Armed
Forces need input from a public figure like him," he said.
(imn/02)