Ministers discuss Belo's remarks

JAKARTA (JP): Coordinating Minister for Political Affairs and Security Soesilo Soedarman convened a meeting yesterday with ministers under his charge to discuss the contentious press remarks of East Timor Bishop Carlos Felipe Ximenes Belo.

But a statement from Soesilo, traditionally given after such meetings, was not forthcoming.

Armed Forces Chief Gen. Feisal Tanjung who attended the meeting deferred all questions to Soesilo, who in turn promised a statement at the next coordination meeting on Nov. 28.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas, who took part in the meeting, said Bishop Belo had overreached his authority as leader of the Roman Catholic Church in East Timor when he made the controversial remarks to the German press.

"Belo talked about referendum in East Timor. He also talked about East Timor's autonomy. They are not religious matters, are they?" he said.

Alatas said the government would not summon the Bishop for questioning. "Nor will the government summon him before he leaves for Oslo, Norway, to receive the 1996 Nobel Peace Prize."

The Nobel Peace Prize laureate, as quoted in the Oct. 14 edition of Der Spiegel, said Indonesian troops had treated East Timorese people like "scabby dogs" and "slaves."

Belo, a native East Timorese, has neither confirmed nor denied making the remarks, but has promised to explain the matter at a news conference in Dili on Nov. 25. He said he was waiting for a tape recording of the interview.

The remarks have prompted protests, in Jakarta and other cities, criticizing the bishop. A wave of counter-protests, by East Timorese in Dili, were held in support of the bishop and to denounce the treatment given to him while at the conference of Indonesian bishops in Jakarta.

Belo's remarks were discussed by Alatas and Vatican Foreign Affairs Minister Jean Louis Tauran in Rome Friday, where they were attending the World Food Summit.

Alatas said, after the Friday meeting, the Indonesian government could accept Belo's concerns about humanitarian issues and East Timorese basic rights.

"What the Indonesian government can not accept was the fact that Belo entered political territory during the interview.

"It is not the task the Vatican had specified for him as a Roman Catholic leader," he said, adding that Tauran agreed. (imn/mds)