April 18, 2007

Jakarta Post

Former Dili Bishop Belo meets jailed ex-militia leader

JAKARTA (JP): Former Dili Bishop Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo Wednesday met former leader of pro-Indonesia militia Eurico Gutteres at Cipinang prison, East Jakarta where he was jailed for his involvement in post-referendum riots in 1999 in East Timor.

During the meeting, Belo discussed reconciliation process among East Timorese, who were split into rivalry groups, following the referendum, which made possible for East Timor to separate from Indonesia, MetroTV television reported.

During the meeting, Gutteres said he expressed the hope that the second round of the presidential election in East Timor or Timor Leste would take place smoothly.

He said he would support any candidate, who will come out as a victory.

Guterres, who was the only person jailed over the incident, believed killing hundreds of people, also demanded that the East Timorese government respect East Timorese, who preferred to become Indonesians. (**)