Reactions on Bishop Belo 'too hasty': Legislator

Reactions on Bishop Belo 'too hasty': Legislator

JAKARTA (JP): An East Timorese legislator has slammed leaders
and officials in Jakarta for reacting too hastily to the alleged
anti-Indonesian remarks made by Dili Bishop Carlos Filipe Ximenes
Belo which were published in a German magazine.

Armindo Soares Mariano of the Golkar faction at the East Timor
provincial legislature told Antara that the government officials,
youth leaders and legislators had judged Belo guilty prematurely.

"The magazine could have twisted Belo's statements, or there
could be other people using Belo's name to say those things,"
Armindo said. "There are anti-integrationists who realize that
Bishop Belo's name has great potential.

"What if it turns out that the bishop never said those
things?" he said.

Alberto M. De Fatima, the chairman of the East Timor branch of
Kosgoro, an affiliate of Golkar, said: "Don't be too hasty. We
should check and re-check the reports.".

"Those people in the center (Jakarta) should first check with
us here in East Timor."

"I believe that, as a religious leader, there's no way Bishop
Belo could have said such rude things. He's part of Indonesia, he
wouldn't want to destroy his own nation," Fatima said.

Belo, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, has not commented on his
alleged anti-Indonesian remarks published recently by Der
Spiegel. In a press communique on Friday in Dili, the capital of
East Timor, he said he would not comment on his interview until
he had obtained a tape recording of it from the German magazine.

"At this time, when all are venting their anger -- and people
have the right to do so -- allow me to remain silent," Belo said
in the statement. "Later, at an appropriate time, I will explain
all the truth or all the mistakes, after I have obtained the
recording of the interview."

Several ministers, representatives of 21 youth organizations
affiliated with Golkar and other public figures in Jakarta have
lashed out at Belo's reported comments, but even they say they
are uncertain whether the bishop had actually made the remarks
attributed to him by the magazine.

Belo was quoted by Der Spiegel as saying in an interview
published Oct. 14 that Indonesian troops had robbed the freedom
of East Timorese and damaged local culture.

He was quoted as saying that Indonesian troops treated the
people of East Timor like "scabby dogs" and that Indonesians
treated them like slaves.

The bishop also claimed there had been nine attempts to
assassinate him, according to the magazine. (swe/14/03)