East Timorese demonstrate

East Timorese demonstrate

YOGYAKARTA: About 300 East Timorese students from universities
in Java and Bali demonstrated yesterday in support of Nobel peace
laureate Bishop Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo.

They gathered at a soccer field in northern Yogyakarta where
some played soccer for a "Nobel Cup" and others staged a noisy
demonstration from 7 a.m. to 12 p.m.

The banner-waving students chanted slogans in support of the
East Timorese bishop, and the co-winner of this year's Nobel
Peace Prize separatist leader Jose Ramos Horta.

"Stop terror, intimidation and tragedy," one banner read.
"Father of World Peace, You are Our Hope," the other said in
reference to Belo. The demonstrators also shouted slogans in
sympathy of Xanana Gusmao, a separatist leader now imprisoned in
Jakarta.

Dozens of security officers bowed to the students demand that
they should not even try to disperse the protest. They watched
the demonstration from afar.

The students accused Jakarta, Lisbon and the United Nations of
intentionally dragging their feet in their efforts to resolve the
East Timorese problem.

They called on Belo and Horta to join hands and join efforts
to seek an end to the problem. (23)