Bishop receives award

A CATHOLIC bishop has won a prestigious international award for his promotion of human rights and reconciliation in war-torn East Timor.
Bishop Carlos Belo, who was also short-listed for for this year's Nobel Peace Prize, was nominated for the John Humphrey Freedom Award by CAFOD.
Julian Filochowski, the director of CAFOD, said this week: "In the light of the recent upsurge of violence in East Timor and the continued violations of human rights by the Indonesian army, we hope that this award will focus international attention on the need for action to bring the suffering and injustice to an end."
Bishop Belo played a crucial role in the recent UN sponsored peace talks in East Timor and has worked tirelessly to bring about reconciliation within the East Timor community.
He has consistently called for respect for Timorese culture and religious identity, and has risked his own life by speaking out against the persistent abuse and harassment of ordinary people by the military.