Church groups seeking East Timor peace get papal backing
-10/06/06
Church groups and c
Church groups seeking East Timor peace get papal backing
-10/06/06
Church groups and civic organisations urging talks to end the violent unrest in the East Timor capital city of Dili have been backed by Pope Benedict, head of the worldís 1.2 billion Catholics.
The situation continued to deteriorate yesterday when the leader of the opposition fled the country, amid accusations that the President had recruited a hit squad to eliminate his political opponents ñ allegations he vehemently denies
At the end of his general audience held in St Peter’s Square last week, the Pope prayed with the 35,000-strong audience for an end to the confusion and bloodshed.
He also called upon the countryís Christian organisations to keep striving for an end to the recent conflict which has left many people dead and thousands homeless.
“My thoughts now go to the beloved nation of East Timor, in these days in which tension and violence have caused victims and destruction,” declared Benedict XVI.
In practical terms the pontiff encouraged the “the local church and Catholic organisations to continue, together with other international [NGOs], in the task of their commitment to assistance of displaced peoples.”
Disturbances in the previous few weeks between rebel soldiers and military men loyal to the government have left dozens dead and wounded, as well as tens of thousands of people homeless, reports CAFOD.
Violence broke out in the capital city Dili after the dismissal of 600 of the army’s 1,400 soldiers, after they went on strike claiming discrimination and a lack of promotion.
East Timor, which gained independence from Indonesia in 2002, suffers an unemployment rate of around 50 per cent.
As previously reported on Ekklesia, Christian leaders in the country have continued their calls for peace during Sunday services.
[Also on Ekkesia: Churches seek peace amid gang violence in East Timor; Church agency condemns Indonesian human rights decision; Christian Aid and CAFOD respond to Indonesia tragedy; More church agencies gear up aid for Java quake zone; Java quake scene like tsunami, says Indonesian Mennonite]
Church groups seeking East Timor peace get papal backing
-10/06/06
Church groups and civic organisations urging talks to end the violent unrest in the East Timor capital city of Dili have been backed by Pope Benedict, head of the worldís 1.2 billion Catholics.
The situation continued to deteriorate yesterday when the leader of the opposition fled the country, amid accusations that the President had recruited a hit squad to eliminate his political opponents ñ allegations he vehemently denies
At the end of his general audience held in St Peter’s Square last week, the Pope prayed with the 35,000-strong audience for an end to the confusion and bloodshed.
He also called upon the countryís Christian organisations to keep striving for an end to the recent conflict which has left many people dead and thousands homeless.
“My thoughts now go to the beloved nation of East Timor, in these days in which tension and violence have caused victims and destruction,” declared Benedict XVI.
In practical terms the pontiff encouraged the “the local church and Catholic organisations to continue, together with other international [NGOs], in the task of their commitment to assistance of displaced peoples.”
Disturbances in the previous few weeks between rebel soldiers and military men loyal to the government have left dozens dead and wounded, as well as tens of thousands of people homeless, reports CAFOD.
Violence broke out in the capital city Dili after the dismissal of 600 of the army’s 1,400 soldiers, after they went on strike claiming discrimination and a lack of promotion.
East Timor, which gained independence from Indonesia in 2002, suffers an unemployment rate of around 50 per cent.
As previously reported on Ekklesia, Christian leaders in the country have continued their calls for peace during Sunday services.
[Also on Ekkesia: Churches seek peace amid gang violence in East Timor; Church agency condemns Indonesian human rights decision; Christian Aid and CAFOD respond to Indonesia tragedy; More church agencies gear up aid for Java quake zone; Java quake scene like tsunami, says Indonesian Mennonite]