Protests on Belo break out
JAKARTA (JP): A string of demonstrations, either sympathizing with or condemning East Timor Bishop Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo broke out in several cities yesterday as the debate over his "scabby dog" comments continued.
In Jakarta, about 2,000 activists of the youth wings of the ruling Golkar political organization massed in front of the House of Representatives to express their outrage at Belo's comments.
Donning yellowish uniforms and carrying banners, they denounced the Bishop for his insidious remarks which they said threatened national unity. Some of them demanded that Belo be expelled.
In the Central Java capital of Semarang, a group of students representing the student senate of Diponegoro University delivered a petition to the regional legislature demanding Belo explain his comments.
Meanwhile in Dili, students from the University of East Timor held a counter demonstration in support of Belo and to express their dissatisfaction at the treatment given to him while in Jakarta.
"An anti-Belo stance means being against the people of East Timor," they said in a statement.
Sparking the controversy were Belo's remarks made in a recent interview with German magazine Der Spiegel in which he reportedly said Indonesian troops treated East Timorese like "scabby dogs".
Belo who just last month, in the eyes of Jakarta, controversially shared the 1996 Nobel peace prize with Timorese separatist leader Jose Ramos Horta, is known to be a strong critic of human rights violations in East Timor.
Yesterday's series of demonstrations coincided with the fifth anniversary of the Nov. 12, 1991 Dili incident in which anti- integration demonstrators clashed with security forces, resulting in the death of around 50 people.
The acting rector of the University of East Timor, Armindo Maya, maintained that demonstrations by his students had nothing to do with the anniversary of the Dili incident.
"It was spontaneous because they couldn't accept the treatment given to Belo who is the highest ranking Catholic leader here," Armindo said as quoted by Antara.
"So it really is a reaction to the actions against Belo (in Jakarta)," he added.
Belo arrived in Jakarta on Monday to attend a meeting of the Indonesian Bishops Conference.
About 50 journalists awaited the 48-year-old bishop outside the conference room to get his comment on the latest development.
He side stepped direct questions but reiterated a previous statement asking to be given time to check the recording of his interview with the Der Spiegel journalist.
"At the right time I will explain the truth and the faults of the published interview. Whether the interview is true or twisted, we have to first listen to Der Spiegel's recording," he said.
He promised to answer questions at a proper press conference on Nov. 24 in Dili after the blessing of the Christ the King statue.
"I myself have not yet seen a copy of the interview. Now everybody spurs on their anger, they have the right to do that. I'd rather keep silent," he added.
With Vatican ambassador Mgr. Pietro Sambi helping fend off journalists, Belo was quickly whisked away by a car with the diplomatic license plate of the Holy See.
Roman Catholic priest Y.B. Mangunwijaya would not respond when asked of Belo's reported comments but questioned whether there could have been a misquotation.
"We have to understand the journalistic style of that magazine which tends to make a story extreme so it sounds hot," said Mangunwijaya after the conference.
He added that the country was over-reacting in its response to these reports.
In Bandung, West Java, the former governor of the National Resilience Institute, Lt. Gen. Soebijakto, said that Belo should remember that it was actually the Armed Forces which called on the Vatican to place a representative in Dili. (17/26/05/mds)