DATE=9/14/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=BELO /VATICAN (L ONLY)
NUMBER=2-253860
BYLINE=SABINA CASTELFRANCO
DATELINE=ROME
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Roman Catholic Bishop Carlos Belo from East
Timor says it is the duty and responsibility of the
international community to uphold the result of the
territory's recent independence referendum. Sabina
Castelfranco in Rome reports the Bishop spoke in the
Vatican one-day after discussing the East Timor
situation with Pope John Paul.
TEXT: Bishop Belo said he told the Pope to ask
President Clinton to take immediate action to allow
deployment of an international peace force in East
Timor.
The Nobel Peace Prize winner said the international
force is the first urgent need for the people of East
Timor who fled into the mountains to escape rampaging
militias opposed to independence.
/// BELO ACT ONE - FADE UNDER ///
The Bishop said there also is another urgent
fundamental problem -- humanitarian organizations must
be able to reach the people in need of food, medicine,
and other aid.
Bishop Belo also said the U-N Refugee Agency and the
Red Cross must find ways to allow the return of
thousands of people forced to flee violence in East
Timor.
Bishop Belo said he would stay in Italy for a few days
and hopes to meet with the U-S Ambassador to the
Vatican. But he said he hopes to return home soon.
/// BELO ACT TWO - FADE UNDER ///
He said he promised the Vatican that once a
multinational force is present in the territory, he
would return immediately to be among what he called --
the lost sheep of East Timor.
Bishop Belo also described how he managed to leave the
territory, and he explained why he believes the
militias targeted the Roman Catholic Church.
/// BELO ACT THREE - FADE UNDER ///
He said there was a carefully studied and well-planned
strategy to do away with the leaders of the resistance
and to destroy the Catholic Church. He said this was
because the church had come to be identified with the
pro-independence movement. He called the church a
moral force supporting the people, a voice for the
Timorese who could not speak freely.
Bishop Belo said at the time of the referendum the
church called on everyone to take part and to vote
according to their convictions and consciences.
(SIGNED)
NEB/SC/JWH/LTD/RAE
14-Sep-1999 12:00 PM LOC (14-Sep-1999 1600 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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