Church is not a political force: Bishop Belo

Church is not a political force: Bishop Belo

DILI, East Timor (JP): Although the church is a strong force
in predominantly Roman Catholic East Timor, it never even thinks
of becoming a political actor, according to this year's joint
Nobel peace prize winner Bishop Carlos Felipe Ximenes Belo.

"First and foremost, the church should not become a political
force," he said.

Speaking at his home, Belo said it would be a regression for
the church to meddle in state political affairs.

"If it were to happen we would be returning to the middle ages
when a bishop could become a prince, a king, a trader and so on,"
he said.

In the past the church has been described as one of the three
main political pillars in East Timor along with the government
and the army.

While denouncing a formal political role for the church, Belo
asserted that it remained an integral part of the East Timorese
people's activities.

All Catholics who have been baptized are members of the
church. Thus the people are the church and the church is the
people, said Belo who on Friday was selected as the 1996 Nobel
peace prize winner along with East Timorese separatist leader
Jose Ramos Horta.

Belo said his work had and would continue to focus on bringing
peace to the East Timorese people because respect for human
dignity was the essence of mankind's existence.

He believes it was his work which finally prompted the Nobel
committee to select him for the award.

Belo does not oppose East Timor's integration into Indonesia
but is known for his criticism of some of Jakarta's policies in
the former Portuguese colony.

"Why do I oppose arrests, torture and killings? Because God
didn't make East Timorese to be tortured and killed. God made
them to live!" he said.

He lamented that certain people did not want to hear about
these misdeeds. "People only want to hear about the good things,
while the bad ones are hidden so no one will know about them," he
said.

Nobel

Meanwhile in Semarang, Central Java, Moslem intellectual
Nurcholish Madjid criticized Horta and Belo's selection as this
year's Nobel peace prize co-winners. He said they were
"unimpressive" figures who did not deserve the prestigious award.

"Well, Belo is still acceptable because he's done things in
East Timor. But for Horta there's absolutely no excuse why he
should receive it," said Nurcholish.

Separately East Timor Governor Abilio Jose Osorio Soares, who
was in Jakarta yesterday, said Bishop Belo had not yet decided
whether to attend the Nobel prize presentation ceremony in Oslo
on Dec. 10.

"That's up to him...but there's certainly no problem if he
wishes to go there," he said.

Soares again reiterated his pride at having a fellow Timorese
win the prize. "As an East Timorese I happily welcome Belo's
selection as the Nobel peace prize winner," he said.

Soares is the highest ranking official to express kudos at the
award. President Soeharto, on a visit to Dili on Tuesday, also
failed to mention or congratulate Belo on his award.

"The Bishop is an East Timorese and an Indonesian citizen. We
don't mind him being selected. The problem is that Horta is being
put on the same plain as Belo," Soares said, adding that Horta
was nothing more than a war criminal who fled East Timor.
(03/har/imn/mds)