Alaco@aol.com
Published in the Star Banner, September 20, 1999
Note to readers: This letter was submitted to the Star Banner on September 15, 1999 with a note saying:"This letter is more timely than an earlier unpublished letter sent to you related to the August 30 vote in East Timor".
Editor,
Prior to the East Timor vote for independence from Indonesia on August 30, the media low-keyed reports about East Timor: It is part of Indonesia; more than 90% of East Timorese were Roman Catholic who have agitated for independence since 1975; Indonesia has the world's largest population of Muslims; more than 80% of the East Timorese could not read or write; and, members of a Muslim militia threaten violence if the people vote for independence. They voted for independence.
The media report the primary reason the militia is killing and driving the East Timorese out of their region is they don't want East Timor to be independence from Indonesia. Information from the Roman Catholic Vatican indicates the Muslims do not want East Timor to be an independent state dominated by Catholics. East Timor has a law making it a crime to criticize Catholic doctrine or officials. The Muslims want no more of that kind of law. The Vatican reports Roman Catholic officials and institutions are a primary target of the militia. Pope John Paul II claimed the militia killed more than 18 priests and nuns and called on the international community for help. The militia burned diocesan buildings, clinics and the home of Nobel Peace Prize winner, bishop Belo, a protégé of the pope.
The militia has not committed violence against Muslim clergy or institutions.
The Catholics in East Timor are in the same unfortunate position the Greek Orthodox
Serbs were in Croatia when the US supported Roman Catholic Croatia's killing or ethnic
cleansing of more than 1.25 million Serbs from their homes in Croatia. No one helped the
Serbs. Hopefully, the Catholics will be helped to return to their homes in a peaceful,
independent East Timor. How they will treat the Muslims in East Timor, if any, becomes
an issue.
James M. O'Hara
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