Rights commission calls for restraint

DILI, East Timor (JP): The Secretary General of the National Commission on Human Rights, Baharuddin Lopa, is calling for all sides to maintain restraint to calm ethnic tension in the province.

Lopa made his plea Thursday at Komoro airport as he left for Jakarta after a two-day investigation of the recent wave of ethnic violence in Dili.

As Lopa left Dili, two other members of the Commission, legislators Aisyah Amini and B.N. Marbun, arrived in Dili to continue the inquiry.

In the worst ethnic and religious violence to hit Dili, angry Timorese youths ran amuck a fortnight ago, targeting immigrant residents from outside East Timor.

The Komoro market, where migrants dominate trade, was razed and cars were smashed or overturned.

Though there have been no official reports of casualties, several people were taken to hospital.

It was also reported that just prior to the riots, mobs set fire to a number of mosques and Protestant churches.

The former Portuguese colony was integrated into Indonesia in 1976. It is predominantly Roman Catholic.

"The National Commission thoroughly regrets the incidents," Lopa said.

He added that the torching of the market was a clear violation of human rights. "It clearly relates to a person's right to live," he explained.

Lopa suggested the formation of a council which would allow religious leaders to exchange views and settle issues that may arise.

Catholic leaders, such as Manuel V. Carrascalao, Louis Gonzaga and Florentino Sarmento, along with Islamic leaders Salem M. Sagran and M. Arsyad signed a paper on Wednesday evening to formally establish the Communication Forum of Religious Disciples.

Leaders of the Christian, Hindu and Buddhist communities expressed their support by signing the document the next morning.

Lopa said that all future working mechanisms of the Forum would have to be worked out by the leaders.

"The National Commission merely threw out the proposal and they accepted it," he said, adding that "this will be a good test to see if they can be united."

However, as reported by Antara, Florentino Sarmento remarked that such a forum had already existed for sometime but was far from successful.

"Such a forum already exists with an annual meeting being held, nevertheless it hasn't been functioning well," he said, adding that he had yet to fully conceive how the new forum would function.

Provincial legislator Manuel Carrascalao expressed support and enthusiasm for the forum but couldn't see it working.

"We still have to coordinate this internally within the organization, in this case with Bishop Belo, the priests and others," he said.

In Jakarta, Minister of Justice Oetojo Oesman said his office will sanction an official at the Meliana penitentiary in East Timor for the derogatory remark he made against Catholicism.

The official, identified only as SA, reportedly made the remark while briefing inmates on Sept. 2.

"It was not ethical for an admired official to make such a remark, insulting a part of society," Oetojo said.

The official's remark was considered one of the triggering factors which incited the riots. He is currently in police custody. (yac/imn/mds)