E. Timor's Belo denies asking special status

DILI (JP): East Timor Bishop Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo has denied reports that he demanded East Timor be turned into an exclusive Catholic territory.

Belo's message was carried by Vicar General of the Dili diocese Mgr. Jose Antonio da Costa in a press release made available yesterday.

Costa said that he made the statement in consultation with Belo before the bishop left for the Vatican to meet with the pope. Costa and Belo discussed the report in the Sept. 23 edition of Gatra magazine, which claims that Belo demanded the status for the territory.

"We need to stress that it is completely untrue. Bishop Belo never made such a statement," Costa said.

The predominantly Catholic East Timor, a former Portuguese colony, was integrated into Indonesia in 1976, but the UN still recognizes Portugal as its administrator.

The news report came a week after the province was stricken with a wave of racial and religious rioting which pitted ethnic Timorese against non-indigenous migrant traders.

Several marketplaces were burned down, migrants' houses attacked, vehicles set ablaze and more than a dozen people were arrested in the spate of incidents that occurred between Sept. 2 and 14.

The rioting was triggered by a statement made by a Moslem prison official that locals considered offensive to the church.

Belo's comment in the magazine stirred strong reactions from various religious leaders, including a group of 100 Moslem Ulemas from Greater Jakarta who on Monday brought their concern to the House of Representatives.

Costa said that what Belo meant was the distinctiveness of the local society, the majority of which are Catholic, should be considered, but without neglecting the existence of other religions such as Islam and Protestant.

Costa added that Belo would be willing to meet and have a discussion with Moslem ulemas and Protestant leaders from East Timor.

However, Costa said Belo could not as yet give a positive answer to the wishes of the 100 ulemas from Greater Jakarta to meet with the bishop because he had to first consult with other church leaders in the diocese.

Separately yesterday, the editor-in-chief of Gatra magazine, Herry Komar, told The Jakarta Post by telephone that he stood by the report issued in the magazine.

"In principal I believe in the report made by my journalist," he said, adding that the report was based on a valid interview which is recorded on tape.

He explained that Belo has the right of reply and if he is unsatisfied he can take up the issue through the Indonesian Journalists Association or legal proceedings.

Meanwhile, 16 youth organizations affiliated with the ruling Golkar faction expressed concern yesterday over widely-circulated pamphlets as well as the racial and religious tension plaguing some parts of the country.

Asep R. Sudjana of the FKPPI, an organization of the grown children of retired military officers, lashed out at groups which he claimed are anti-government and have been wreaking havoc in society.

Without specifying these groups, Asep told journalists that FKPPI members have examined the latest development and concluded that the rumors "are systematic efforts by anti-New Order government groups to divide the country."

Asep was accompanied by, among others, Yorrys Raweyai of the Pemuda Pancasila youth organization and Sofyan Lubis, chairman of the Indonesian Journalists Association (PWI), who is also a leading member of Golkar.

The FKPPI members, some of whom are about 40 years old, also accused "anti-government" groups of trying to put a wedge between the Armed Forces and civilians, and of launching other campaigns to undermine the national leadership.

Those groups, Asep claimed, have tried to sow "hatred and prejudice against the government, (and incite) conflicts among ethnic and religious groups".

"Those campaigns clearly smack of the movement of the PKI," he said, referring to the now-banned Indonesian Communist Party. (yac/swe/mds)