Protests on Belo break out
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)