Subject: 'austraLasia' # 231
TIMOR: INFORMATION ON SITUATION OF SALESIANS AND OTHER RELIGIOUS
Julian Fox
Using resources from ANS, the East Timorese International Support Centre in
Darwin (pkf Fr. Richard Gant in Texas!), we can now at least offer as
accurate a summary of situations regarding Religious as is presently
possible. With the advent of INTERFER and the likely re-establishment of
telephone lines, this will be updated very soon, I think.
Four Italian-born Salesian priests are confirmed as safe and well at
Venilale - this comes from the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. They
are Frs Donaggio, De Pretto, Gamba and Locatelli.
The Bishop of Baucau (cf austraLasia # 230) has also confirmed that the
SDB's at Fatumaca and Venilale are o.k.
Most of the Salesians who were in Dili are now in Kupang with the refugees
there. One (Fr.Fraile Manuel de los Palos) has gone with a group of
refugees to Flores. Fr. Andrew Wong, Provincial, is in Kupang and has been
in phone contact with Salesians in Jakarta. ANS indicates that there have
been no confirmed deaths amongst priest and Religious in Baucau itself (but
note the ETISC details below).
>From ETISC we have the following:
Revised Sunday September 19, 1999
>
> Priests
> Fr Hilario Madeira, Catholic Priest – Death confirmed at
> Suai. Was in Windsor, Canada, 1996.
> Fr Francisco Soares, Catholic Priest – Death confirmed
> at Suai.
> Fr Tarcisius Dewanto (Jesuit priest at Balide seminary) (
> Indonesian)
>
> Fr Luis Bonaparte do rego – Believed to be killed. Priest
> at Aileu.
> Fr Yosef Daslam (Liquiça). From Maumere, Flores,
> Indonesia. Killed.
> He was assistant priest under Fr Rafael, who left after the Liquiça
> massacre (April 6).
>
> Father Carolus Alberecht Karim (German Jesuit). Shot
> dead. The first European person killed?
>
> Fr Domingas Soares (Letefoho) – missing.
>
> The following are alive and in hiding, though previously
> reported dead:
> Fr Francisco Barreto, Head of Caritas, Dili.
> Fr Jovito Rego de Jesus Araujo, Priest at Becora, Dili.
>
> Nuns
> Canossian Nuns (all Timorese nuns)
> Suai
> Three Nuns at Suai – Deaths confirmed (possibly Sr
> Rosa Martins, Sr Jacinta da Cruz)
>
> Dili
> Sr Margarida Paulo Soares (80), Catholic Nun who lived
> in Canossian house near Bishop Belo’s.
> Reported killed but later reports say still alive.
>
> Baucau
> Six nuns reported killed 9/9/99 but later reports say still
> alive.
>
> Escaped
> Sr Maria Lourdes de Jesus
>
> SSpS Nuns (Service in the Holy Spirit) – Indonesian nuns
> from Flores. Missing, may be dead.
> Uatolari (District of Viqueque)
> Sr Clarensia
> Sr Rafaela
> Sr Helma
> Sr Helena
>
> Protestant Minister (1 dead)
> The Reverend Francisco de Vasconselhos Ximenes.
> Shot dead between Dili and Baucau.
> General Secretary of the "Christian Church in East Timor"
> – GKTT.
> He was the first cousin of Taur Matan Ruak, Falintil
> Commander.
As more information comes to hand I will let you know.
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