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.
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AustraLasia is an email service for the Salesian Family of Asia Pacific. It also functions as an agency for ANS based in Rome. For queries please contact admin@bosconet.aust.com . Use BoscoWiki to be interactive. RSS feeds - subscribe to www.bosconet.aust.com/RSS/rssala.xml Avail yourself of the Salesian Digital Library at at http://sdl.sdb.org
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. For queries please contact admin@bosconet.aust.com . Use BoscoWiki to be interactive. RSS feeds - subscribe to www.bosconet.aust.com/RSS/rssala.xml Avail yourself of the Salesian Digital Library at at http://sdl.sdb.org
