1925 East Timor Salesians in prayer for troubled nation
austraLasia #1925
Salesians in prayer for their troubled nation; some
communities feel
unsafe
DILI: 15th August 2007 -- Major news outlets have
already carried some
details of outbreaks of violence in parts of East Timor, after
President Ramos Horta appointed 'Xanana' Gusmao as Prime
Minister of Timor Leste recently. Some Salesians have been on retreat
this past week at Fatumaca, while others are due to commence their
retreat at Fuiloro shortly. Besides their personal intentions, their
prayer is undoubtedly focused on the difficult situation they, along
with their countrymen and women face.In certain parts of the country,
especially
in Los Palos, Bacau-Venilale and Dili, the violence has impacted on
the Salesians and the Salesian Sisters, in one case seriously.
Violence broke out after Gusmao's installation on
8th
August. While there have been no deaths reported, buildings have been
burnt down including some Church property (the diocesan printing press
at Bacau), and
several communities of Salesians and Salesian Sisters have had their
buildings ransacked. In one terrible incident it appears that gangs
broke into the convent girls' dormitory at Baguia, about 40 kms south
of Bacau
and raped nine of the girls, one as young as eight, the others aged
between 15 and 17 years. The Salesians and the Sisters in Venilale have
not felt safe despite efforts by police, army and UN troops to bring
things under control. Many arrests have been made.
The new Government of Xanana Gusmao, which holds a
parliamentary
majority but which seems unacceptable to many supporters of the former
Fretilin Government, has as Education Minister Joao Cancio, who is
also president of the Past Pupils. His assistant minister is Paulo
Belo,
brother of a Salesian. _________________ AustraLasia is an
email
service
for the Salesian Family of Asia Pacific. It also functions
as an
agency for ANS based in
Rome.
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