A New Catholic Nation Is Born in Asia

ASSOCIATED PRESS, May 19—Overwhelmingly Catholic East Timor marked a new phase in its history on Sunday as the one-time colony of Portugal celebrated its independence from Indonesia—a majority-Muslim country that invaded 24 years ago and waged a month-long genocidal campaign against separatists in 1999.

As Associated Press reported, East Timor's independence day began with a Mass. Catholic Bishop Carlos Ximenes Belo, who shared a 1996 Nobel Peace Prize with independence activist Jose Ramos-Horta, welcomed 500 visitors in his garden for the liturgy.

Echoing the bishop's homily, Ramos-Horta said, “My message for this morning's service is peace, tolerance and forgiveness. We are very happy. We are a proud and simple people who deserve peace, who deserve freedom.”

Statesmen in attendance included East Timor's president-elect, Xanana Gusmao, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan, Australian Prime Minister John Howard, former U.S. President Bill Clinton and Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri.

The U.N.'s refugee agency has reported that more than 200,000 East Timorese refugees have come back since the end of Indonesia's 1999 rampage in the territory, sparked by its referendum vote for independence.

Australia provides some 1,500 troops of the 5,000 international peacekeepers who shepherded East Timor to independence. The new island nation will sign a treaty with Australia next week, dividing up East Timor's extensive oil and natural gas reserves. East Timor will receive 90% of the revenues from those reserves, which are not expected to start flowing until 2005, Associated Press reported.

In the meantime, the country faces extreme poverty and will be utterly dependent on international aid.

Americans Want a Fair Mideast Settlement

THE ST. PETERSBURG TIMES, May 12—A new national poll suggests that most Americans do not support the hard-line policies of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, which have been strongly backed by leaders in Congress.

Bill Maxwell, columnist for The St. Petersburg Times, cited a survey of 801 U.S. citizens, conducted by the Program on International Policy Attitudes, which revealed that 58% of respondents believe the United States should play an “even-handed” role with regard to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

“The respondents were equally sympathetic toward both sides in the crisis—again pitting public opinion against that of most U.S. senators and representatives,” Maxwell wrote, noting “respondents blame Israelis and Palestinians equally for failed peace efforts.”

The questions were crafted in consultation with both the Israeli Embassy and the Palestinian Mission to the United Nations. Some 75% of those polled said they “closely follow” news about the Mideast.

British Opposition Party Fights Homosexual Adoption Bill

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH, May 20—Members of Britain's Conservative Party will attempt to use the House of Lords, the United Kingdom's upper house of Parliament, to block a bill newly approved by the House of Commons that will allow homosexual couples to adopt children, reported London's Daily Telegraph.

The Tories will try to recruit support from more socially conservative Laborites, bishops and nonpartisan Lords, the paper said.

Prime Minister Tony Blair, who often attends Mass with his Catholic wife, joined with other members of parliament in his ruling Labor Party in supporting the homosexual adoption measure.

Conservative peer Lady Young is expected to lead the fight against relaxing the law. She told The Telegraph, “Recent events in Europe show what happens when politicians ignore the voters,” referring to surprisingly strong showings by right-wing parties in France and Holland.