Subject: AFP: Catholic church in East Timor to be
neutral in August vote: report
Date: Sat, 22 May 1999 10:10:02 -0400
From: "John M. Miller" <fbp@igc.apc.org>Received from Joyo Indonesian
News:
Catholic church in East Timor to be neutral in August vote: report
JAKARTA, May 16 (AFP) - The church in predominantly Catholic East Timor will remain
neutral and accept the results of the August vote on the troubled territory's future,
Bishop Carlos Belo was quoted as saying on Sunday.
Roman Catholic leaders in East Timor will not take sides and respect the outcome of the
August 8 ballot on autonomy or independence, Indonesia's state Antara news agency quoted
the Dili bishop as saying at Sunday mass.
The Nobel laureate also reiterated to his congregation in East Timor's capital Dili
that East Timorese should "decide their choices on the autonomy ballot ... based on
their conscience" and not through force or intimidation, Antara said.
Pro-Indonesian militias in East Timor have been waging a bloody campaign against
supporters of independence since Jakarta announced in January it was prepared to
relinquish the former Portuguese colony.
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