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New East Timorese bishop warns of popular revolt in East Timor

Source
Lusa - January 21, 1997

Lisbon – The apostolic administrator of East Timor's diocese of Baucau Bishop D. Basmlio do Nascimento has stressed that popular revolt against the Indonesian troops can easily arise in the former Portuguese colony. Speaking at the Christian Spiritual Center in Lisbon on Monday, Do Nascimento compared the situation in East Timor to a blaze saying that "it takes only a spark to cause a fire". The recently consecrated bishop invited to talk about the Roman Catholic Church presence in East Timor said that it was facing shortcomings in the territory, with insufficient number of priests and lack of a good doctrinal education. Do Nascimento, who will take charge of the position of apostolic administrator of the new diocese of Bacau, covering East Timor's eastern half, on March 19 added that 85 percent of the territory's 800,000 population were Catholics. Indonesia, the worlds biggest Moslem Country, invaded East Timor in 1975 and annexed it one year later but the United Nations still regards Portugal as the territory's administering power. Lusa/Fim

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