Two killed in East Timor religious service
DILI, East Timor (JP): Two men were killed when violence broke out prior to a religious service Tuesday on top of Mt. Ramelau in the Ainaro regency, 120 kilometers south of here.
The incident prompted Dili Bishop Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo, who was presiding over the service, to cut short the Mass attended by more than 20,000 Catholics from East Timor and neighboring East Nusa Tenggara.
Antara gave two versions of witnesses' account of the incident that claimed the lives of Adelino da Silva, 36, of the Baucau regency and Acasio de Oliveira, 17, of the Ainaro regency.
Some witnesses said that Adelino stabbed altar boy Acasio in the chest after being reprimanded by the latter for attempting to climb to a spot where Bishop Belo planned to place a statue of the Virgin Mary.
The other altar boys then tried to catch Adelino, who resisted and stabbed pilgrim Jose Pereira, 25, in the hand. Adelino was mobbed to death.
Another version said a group unfurled a flag of the anti- government rebel group Fretilin, disrupted the pilgrimage and started a clash that killed two people.
East Timor police chief Col. Atok Rismanto said here yesterday police were still investigating the incident.
"Those who have taken the law into their own hands will have us to contend with," Rismanto said. "We are still investigating who the offender was. I won't name any organizations yet because the investigation is still underway."
Governor Abilio Osorio Soares deplored the violence which he blamed on "certain individuals" attempting to exploit religious affairs to further their own political interest.
"It was a religious affair. Furthermore, Bishop Belo was also attending. How could they have exploited it? Nobody can accept this," Abilio told the press in Dili yesterday.
Bishop Belo also deplored the violence and condemned those who had provoked it.
Also attending Tuesday's service were Baucau Bishop Basilio do Nascimento, legislator Mariano Lopez da Crus and Ainaro Regent Norberto de Araujo.
"Of course, the Bishop deeply regrets the incident. He had high hopes that the service could bind all East Timorese together and bring peace like Mother Mary who people believe is the Queen of Peace," Abilio said.
The deaths added to the number of casualties in connection with the annual pilgrimage.
On Tuesday, at least 13 people (not 17 as earlier reported) were killed, 31 seriously injured and six others slightly injured when a truck carrying 50 Roman Catholic pilgrims home from Mt. Ramelau plunged into a 25-meter deep ravine in Letefoho subdistrict of Ermera regency, 90 kilometers west of here.
Police are still investigating the accident. (33/aan)