Around 30,000 people have sought refuge in two Catholic compounds as violence has swept through the East Timorese capital of Dili.
The country, on the brink of civil war, has seen 70,000 people being displaced and this week a Catholic aid agency leader urged people to focus on the “exceedingly vulnerable” majority of East Timorese. Jack de Groot, chief executive of Caritas Australia, told The Tablet on Tuesday that concerns remained high for the safety of people in the Catholic compounds
Mentioned by the Pope at his Wednesday Audience:
At the end of Wednesday’s traditional general audience, Benedict XVI expressed his concern for the “dear nation of East Timor, which these days is prey to tensions and violence that have created victims and caused destruction.”
“As I encourage the local Church and Catholic organisations, along with international organisations, to help those displaced, I urge you to pray to the Holy Virgin so that with Her maternal protection She can support the efforts of those who are trying to appease hearts and bring life back to normal.”
The crisis in the former Portuguese colony however does not show any signs of abating with thousands of Dili residents abandoning their homes.
According to the United Nations, about 100,000 of the city’s 150,000 residents have fled. Many have moved back to their native villages in the countryside; others have found refuge in convents and schools. About 65,000 are sheltering in camps around the capital.
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