Governor Abilio congratulates Bishop Belo

DILI, East Timor (JP): East Timor Governor Abilio Jose Osorio Soares formally congratulated Bishop Carlos Felipe Ximenes Belo yesterday for the Nobel peace prize he was awarded last Friday.

The governor said he was speaking on behalf of the provincial government and collective regional leadership (muspida).

"On behalf of the provincial government and the muspida, I would like to convey my congratulations to the Bishop as the first East Timorese Bishop to receive this world peace award," Abilio said at a consecration ceremony here yesterday.

Thousands applauded his statement at the ceremony, which was also attended by chief of the East Timor military command Col. Mahidin Simbolon and police chief Col. Yusuf Muharam.

The Nobel committee in Oslo announced Friday that it had selected Belo and Timorese separatist leader Jose Ramos Horta as winners of the 1996 peace prize.

Officials in Jakarta immediately denounced Horta's award, while skirting the subject of Belo's award.

But Minister/State Secretary Moerdiono has questioned Belo's selection. "What is Bishop Belo's concept for peace. Really, I can't understand," he said.

Abilio lauded the Bishop yesterday, saying that Belo's distinction was something East Timor could be proud of.

"Apart from being a son of East Timor, he is also the first Catholic bishop in the world to receive the award," he said.

"Once again, on behalf of the people and the government of East Timor I would like to say congratulations," Abilio said.

Despite the shower of applause and kind words, Belo was composed.

After the consecration ceremony of Jovito Rego de Jesus Araujo as a priest and Domingos da Cunha as a deacon, Belo addressed the crowd and called for continued peace and calm in the province.

He said he did not want the people to engage in public demonstrations which could cause disorder.

He called on everyone to search for peace and joy in their hearts by praying in their homes: "The month of October is a month of rosary, and we shall pray for the peace we covet."

Belo's plea for calm comes ahead of President Soeharto's planned trip to Dili.

Soeharto and a large entourage of cabinet ministers will arrive here tomorrow. Sources say he is scheduled to meet Belo while in Dili.

AFP reported from Sydney that Australian Prime Minister John Howard said he welcomed the meeting.

"I welcome the fact that President Soeharto will be meeting for the very first time the Catholic Archbishop when he visits East Timor. I think that is a very positive move by the Indonesian government," Howard said. (03/mds)