Subject: 'austraLasia' #248

EAST TIMOR CARITAS PRIEST, WORKERS FOUND ALIVE

DILI, East Timor (CWNews.com) - The head of East Timor's

Caritas Catholic charity and 20 of his workers returned

safely to Dili on Monday after being reported dead weeks

ago.

Father Francisco Barreto and the workers had been hiding in

the mountains outside Dili since anti-independence militias

went on a rampage following an independence vote on August

30. Caritas Australia had reported on August 9 that Father

Barreto and the others had been killed in the town of Suai

by Indonesian soldiers.

"We were devastated when we thought they had been

killed," Caritas Australia's national director Tom Story

said. "In the reports these are just facts and figures but

to us they were real people. We are so grateful they have

been spared," he said in a statement.

Story said he planned to meet with them on Monday to

discuss the rebuilding of East Timor. "They will play a key

role in rehabilitation and rebuilding the community after

they have recovered from their ordeal," he said. Story

added that a benefit concert was planned for Friday in

Sydney to raise funds for Caritas' work.

Meanwhile, Bishop Carlos Belo of Dili plans to return to

the city on Wednesday, after having fled for his life

following an attack which burned his home and offices

earlier last month. Dozens of people sheltering at the

residence were reportedly killed in the attack supported by

Indonesian soldiers.

Australian Maj. Gen. Peter Cosgrove, commander of the

international force in East Timor, said enormously popular

Bishop Belo would be protected when he returned. "We know

that he's a very significant figure. He has been an

important rallying point for East Timorese for a number of

years and no doubt there will be keen interest in his

visit," Cosgrove said.

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