BISHOP OF TIMOR MEDIATES BETWEEN ARMY AND GUERRILLAS
BAUCAU, SEP 20 (ZENIT).- The Church in Bacau is mediating between the army and the pro-independence guerrillas. At present, Bishop Basilio do Nascimiento, Apostolic Administrator of Baucau, is leading negotiations to free a commando kidnapped on September 7 by the Falintil guerrillas, the armed section of Timor's resistance. The Bishop, who has delegated the task to a priest, told the "Fides" news agency that the negotiations are well underway. He hopes the soldiers will be freed very soon.
In statements to Fides, Bishop do Nascimento did not give much importance to the wounds he suffered a few days ago when his residence was attacked by paramilitaries supporting East Timor's annexation to Indonesia. He also said that the presence of an international force will help eliminate the people's suspicions and fear. "What is most important is to regain confidence and guarantee public order," he said.
"The peace forces will help people return to their homes. It is important to control the militias that are wandering through West Timor. Although the people should not be threatened, the paramilitaries act like cowboys from the Far West: they shoot in the air and the terrified people, hide."
The Vatican has received testimonies from civilians and religious who were able to escape the massacres of the last few days. Two Sisters from the community of Jesus' Followers, who arrived in West Timor on September 16 from Sama (south of the Island), described scenes of horror to Fides.
"Many civilians have been killed. The bodies of victims were decapitated and hung from trees. The whole city of Sama has been destroyed by the military, who also destroyed buildings constructed by the government. The militias expelled the people and burnt their homes. There were many bodies in the streets. Instead of burying them, they burnt them, to eliminate proofs of the massacres."
ZE99092004
KI/KAP (KathPress/Katolsk Informasjonstjeneste)