Pope blesses three Catholics condemned to death
20 March, 2006
INDONESIA
Pope blesses three Catholics condemned to death
by Benteng Reges
Yesterday, the bishop of Manado, northern Sulawesi, visited Tibo and
his
friends in prison, as "special envoy" of the Vatican. Benedict XVI
invited
the three convicts, victims of an unfair trial, to pray the rosary with
him
during this difficult time.
Palu (AsiaNews) - The Pope is close to the three Catholics condemned to
death and he has sent his blessing to them in prison. The Pontiff,
through a
local bishop, invited the convicts to pray the rosary together with
him, so
that through prayer, they may "bear" this difficult moment. This was
revealed by Mgr Joseph Suwatan, bishop of Manado (northern Sulawesi),
who
met Fabianus Tibo, Dominggus da Silva and Marinus Riwu in prison
yesterday.
The three men have been condemned to death for the massacre of Muslims
during inter-religious clashes in Poso in 2000. The bishop said he had
undertaken the visit to the Palu prison in the capacity of "special
Vatican
envoy". He said Benedict XVI wanted to share the men's pain and to
express
his solidarity for the legal injustice suffered by the three Catholics
during their trial.
Many Indonesians claim that the trial was controversial: its
proceedings
were marred by large-scale intimidation by Islamic fundamentalists.
Mgr Suwatan gave Tibo and his companions a cross and rosary beads; at
the
exit of the prison, he told journalists what his mission was: "The Holy
See
charged me with visiting these Catholic brothers, because the Pope
wanted to
express in person his deep closeness to the condemned men. Benedict XVI
has
asked the three Catholics to have patience in these difficult times,
and to
share their feelings with Our Lady and to recite the rosary together
with
him."
Tibo, speaking also in the name of da Silva and Riwu, said he was
strongly
moved by the considerable interest shown by the Vatican in their case.
"This
helps us to have courage in facing the death penalty," he said.
The parish priest of the Church of St Paul in Palu, Fr Melky Toreh, and
some
PADMA lawyers - who are presenting Tibo and his friends - accompanied
Mgr
Suwatan on the prison visit. PADMA recently appealed to the Supreme
Court to
review the case on the basis of new witnesses who would clear the three
men.
The group coordinator, Roy Stephen Rering, said if the Attorney
General's
Office of Central Sulwesi (AGO) did not review its decision, PADMA
would ask
that the case of Tibo be referred to an international court.
Meanwhile, on 17 March, after Friday prayers, the Central Sulawesi
Police
Chief, General Oegroseno, reiterated that all was ready for the
execution of
the three men, although the time and the place have not yet been
announced.
Rering said:
"If the sentence is carried out, the Poso conflict will remain a
mystery and
no one will ever know the truth."
Between 2000 and 2001, more than 1000 people died in clashes between
Christians and Muslims in Poso. No Muslims have been tried for their
part in
the clashes as yet.