South East Asia

At the Mass he led in the esplanade of Taci Tolu in front of hundreds of thousands of faithful, Francis warned against “those crocodiles who want to change your culture”. In his address, he urged the local Church to be like the fragrance of sandalwood for which the island of Timor has been known since ancient times. The fragrance of the Gospel “must be used against everything that humiliates, disfigures, and even destroys human life”. Francis urged priests “not make you feel superior to the people”, nor act “like bosses who crush others.”

Malaysia's state-owned company operates in areas that are under national sovereignty. In a note sent to the Malaysian embassy, China expressed its displeasure, even though Premier Anwar Ibrahim had previously hinted at the possibility of negotiations to resolve the issue of Chinese claims.

The latest Global Witness report highlights the deadly trend. Although the worse cases are in Latin America, the Philippine government is increasingly using the law to intimidate and enforced disappearances to end the activities of land defenders. Most of the victims belong to indigenous communities.

On the third stage of his apostolic journey to Asia and Oceania, Francis landed today in Timor-Leste, a country fully independent only since 2002. The pontiff praised "the commitment to achieve full reconciliation” with Indonesia, an example to the world. But he also called for “faith to be your culture” to find answers to social ills like poverty, gang violence, and child abuse.

An Italian Salesian nun who has been in the country for more than 30 years tells AsiaNews about the expectations of a people that has not yet fully emerged from the ordeal that led to independence. Education and health unresolved problems, the urgent need to train young people in politics. The desire to ‘touch’ and receive a blessing from Francis.

The city where the pontiff will go tomorrow is located in a particularly remote area. Francis has expressly asked to add this stop to be able to meet the faithful of the diocese, but also the priests and religious of the Argentine Institute of the Incarnate Word in the parish of Baro, where he has contributed to the construction of a secondary school. The presence of Indonesian missionaries also among those who fled from across the border.

Archbishop Martinelli stresses to AsiaNews the link that makes the declaration signed yesterday in Jakarta and the 2019 text on human fraternity‘different and complementary’. In a world marked by war ‘the danger is getting used to dehumanisation’. Strong ‘symbols’ such as the Tunnel of Friendship or the Abrahamic House are essential. From the Pope also the call to look in depth’ in interreligious dialogue, returning “to the question of God as a fundamental human question”.

Today's news: 3477 displaced, including 1485 children, in attacks by Israeli security forces in the West Bank since 7 October; Risk of new pandemic from Chinese mammal farms, new viruses ready to jump species; The head of the Election Commission in Bangladesh resigns;Kuala Lumpur continues explorations in disputed area of.the China Sea.

In front of thousands of people crowded at a local sports facilities, the pontiff called on the local Church to “to put out to sea.” Since “The word of the Lord cannot remain a fine abstract idea,” we are asked “to change our gaze” despite “fears and mediocrity”. Tomorrow morning Francis will bid farewell to Indonesia and depart for Papua New Guinea.

On the feast day of the saint of the marginalised, Fr Alberto Caccaro, a PIME missionary in Cambodia, remembers celebrating the Eucharist with the Missionaries of Charity in their house on the outskirts of Phnom Penh. When he distributes the Communion, he is happy that Jesus, “the Bread of Heaven”, comes to rest on the “visibly damaged hands” of people “that no one else would take in”.

The Istiqlal Declaration signed in Jakarta during the interreligious meeting. The invitation to believers to work together in the defence of the dignity of every person in conflicts and in the fight against climate change. Walking through the ‘tunnel of friendship’ between the mosque and the cathedral, the Pontiff invited people to ‘look in depth’ to seek what unites religions and to ‘cherish the bonds of friendship’ that make encounter in diversity possible.

Today's news: 2.3 billion deal between Emirates and Jordan for a railway line. Beijing ‘warns’ students with access to sensitive data about national security risks. Over 100,000 people at the torchlight procession in Kolkata a month after the rape and murder of a female doctor. One thousand civilians ‘trapped’ in a Buddhist monastery by fighting in the Sagaing region of Myanmar.