Forum for religious leaders in East Timor inaugurated

Forum for religious leaders in East Timor inaugurated

DILI, East Timor (JP): Minister for Religious Affairs Tarmizi
Taher inaugurated yesterday the establishment of a forum of
communication and consultancy for religious leaders in a bid to
restore religious harmony following the recent riots in the
predominantly Catholic province.

Members of the forum consist of representatives of the Roman
Catholic Church in East Timor, the local chapters of Indonesian
Community of (Protestant) Churches; the Indonesian Ulema Council;
the Indonesian Hindu Council; and the Dharma Buddha Foundation.

A document for the forum's establishment was signed by Father
Dominggus Sequira of the Roman Catholic Church, Reverend Maria de
Fatima Gomes and Thomas Soares, both representing the local
chapter of the Indonesian Community of Churches, Abdullah Sagran
representing the Indonesian Ulema Council, Ngakan Gede Eka Bawa,
representing the Indonesian Hindu Council and Tam Kim Yung of the
local chapter of Dharma Buddha Foundation.

It was set up an in an effort to restore peace and harmony in
the province following last month's ethnic riots in which many
people were injured.

Minister Tarmizi Taher reminded people at the occasion that
during Portuguese occupation, only 30 percent of the population
adhered to the Roman Catholic faith, but since East Timor's
integration into Indonesia in 1976 the figure has reached almost
90 percent of the population of 843,000.

The riots were triggered by an incident which took place
inside a local prison where an official had reportedly insulted
Catholic teachings.

Hundreds of migrants left the province and headed back to
their hometowns following the trouble. (rms)

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