Ministers discuss Belo's remarks

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)