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Timor

ACNS 1876 · 14 September 1999 · Dundee [ACC-11/10]

Bishop Fernando Soares
On 30th August the people of East Timor clearly expressed to the world their
deepest willing of being free, independent and to rebuild their homeland. In
fact, their homeland has been conquered for 24 years by blood and the loss
of many lives, what, besides the referendum's result, gives the Timorees an
irrefutable legitimacy to say that land is theirs and they are right to live
independently.
Now, after what the UN did to secure the referendum, after the official
announcement of its result by UN Secretary General, the international
community seems ashamed with the post referendum situation trying to abandon
the people to a terrible destiny before the impunity of the criminal
attitude of Indonesian armed forces. This is incomprehensible as human
rights are in danger, what had been the great reason for the intervention of
UN in several parts of the world. In fact, the democratic society values are
in danger, the creditability of UN is at stake and the consistency of the
fundamental human rights is becoming small, because everything is being
sacrificed to the economic and geo strategic interests of the powerful
nations.
No human force can stop the will of a people, which comes from the deepest
part of their being. Only exterminating them. And because the people of East
Timor have given to us examples of heroic persistence and living hope we
believe that once more in spite of their deep pain they will win, based on
the divine willing for the human hope: "in the evening come tears, but with
dawn cries of joy" (Psalm 30,5).
We are people of faith and we believe that God, who loves us, intervenes in
human history, Because of that I appeal for your spirit of fraternity to
that martyred people asking for your prayers and concrete solidarity.

ACNS 1876 · 14 September 1999 · Dundee [ACC-11/10]

Timor

Bishop Fernando Soares

On 30th August the people of East Timor clearly expressed to the world their
deepest willing of being free, independent and to rebuild their homeland. In
fact, their homeland has been conquered for 24 years by blood and the loss
of many lives, what, besides the referendum's result, gives the Timorees an
irrefutable legitimacy to say that land is theirs and they are right to live
independently.
Now, after what the UN did to secure the referendum, after the official
announcement of its result by UN Secretary General, the international
community seems ashamed with the post referendum situation trying to abandon
the people to a terrible destiny before the impunity of the criminal
attitude of Indonesian armed forces. This is incomprehensible as human
rights are in danger, what had been the great reason for the intervention of
UN in several parts of the world. In fact, the democratic society values are
in danger, the creditability of UN is at stake and the consistency of the
fundamental human rights is becoming small, because everything is being
sacrificed to the economic and geo strategic interests of the powerful
nations.
No human force can stop the will of a people, which comes from the deepest
part of their being. Only exterminating them. And because the people of East
Timor have given to us examples of heroic persistence and living hope we
believe that once more in spite of their deep pain they will win, based on
the divine willing for the human hope: "in the evening come tears, but with
dawn cries of joy" (Psalm 30,5).
We are people of faith and we believe that God, who loves us, intervenes in
human history, Because of that I appeal for your spirit of fraternity to
that martyred people asking for your prayers and concrete solidarity.