Freddy Gamage, a Catholic activist, received the Order of Timor-Leste, the country’s highest award, from President José Ramos Horta for his support of its right to self-determination. With his online publication Meepura, he promotes human rights at home.
The military-ruled Southeast Asian country clashes with one of the few countries in the region that is openly critical after its democracy was crushed. This is a challenge for ASEAN as well, as the bloc has failed so far to propose real solutions to Myanmar’s civil war. Now East Timor is reconsidering its bid to join the regional body.
Today's headlines: Two weeks of strikes in South Korea; Chinese director-general Qu Dongyu re-elected at FAO; In Myanmar the number of displaced people rises to 1.8 million; In East Timor, independence hero Xanana Gusmao confirmed as new head of state; Heavy rains hit Japan; Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov attacks Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople.
The party led by Xanana Gusmão won over 40% of the vote and needs only one more seat to form a government. Observers hope that this victory will put the former Portuguese colony on the road to development. The first task of the new executive will be to work on economic diversification.
The meeting of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations opens today until Thursday. Indonesian President Jokowi proposes a " forum for dialogue " to end violence in Myanmar (ex-Burma), which "harms innocent people". Indonesian and Singaporean diplomats fired upon in Shan State are unharmed.
In a report by a Dutch weekly, two men accuse the prelate of sexual abuse in the 1990s when they were underage. In November 2002 Bishop Ximenes Belo, then 54, suddenly resigned for health reasons and left the country. The paper’s investigation was brought to the attention of the competent dicasteries in the Vatican, this according to the nunciature in Timor-Leste.
