Government says it understands Belo's remarks

Government says it understands Belo's remarks

JAKARTA (JP): The government "can understand" Bishop Carlos
Filipe Ximenes Belo's critical remarks about the Armed Forces but
advises him to be careful in making statements next time.

The government's message was conveyed by Coordinating Minister
for Political Affairs and Security Soesilo Soedarman yesterday
after a monthly meeting with officials under his coordination.

Soesilo, however, questioned the tardiness of the East
Timorese bishop's public explanation of his comments in the
German Der Spiegel magazine.

"Prompt explanation could have prevented people from
emotionally responding to his remarks," he said.

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) in the middle of this month.

On Monday, Belo accused the German magazine of manipulating
his April interview to make it sound anti-Indonesian government
and denied some of the comments attributed to him by the
magazine's Oct. 14 edition.

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

He said he did not mean to attack the Armed Forces by using
the word "soldiers" in the interview, as "it is meant to describe
the individuals (within the Armed Forces) who do not put into
practice Sapta Marga (the Armed Forces oath) and (state ideology)
Pancasila."

Journalist Juergen Kremb has insisted he stands by the
comments attributed to Belo.

But Belo's explanation has apparently not ended the
controversy. Army Chief of Staff Gen. Hartono suggested the
bishop sue the magazine to prove his denial was true.

"We are glad of Belo's explanation. Yet, to prove his loyalty
to this country, he should sue Der Spiegel," Hartono said,
reported Antara here yesterday.

Hartono also wants Belo to prove his allegations that the
military has twice tried to kill him.

Human rights activist Clementino Dos Reis Amaral, maintaining
that Belo's statement contained truths about human rights
conditions in East Timor, praised Belo for apologizing to those
offended by his remarks.

"Belo's testimony and apology is the noble action of a
religious leader," he said.

Meanwhile, police in Dili said yesterday they have arrested
two people on charges of insulting President Soeharto in an anti-
government protest Monday.

East Timor Police chief Col. Jusuf Mucharam said the
authorities would track down the people who masterminded the
demonstration in support of Bishop Belo.

Governor Abilio Jose Osorio Soares criticized the protest,
saying the demonstrators had misused the church for political
activities.

Separately, Foreign Minister Ali Alatas said yesterday the
government has no objection to a plan of a well known Moslem
cleric and a Catholic leader to accompany Belo to Oslo to receive
his Nobel peace prize on Dec. 10.

Chairman of the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) Moslem Organization
Abdurrahman Wahid and KWI's chairman Julius Darmaatmadja will
accompany the bishop. (imn/08/33)