'Bishop Belo' of the Nobel Peace Prize, accused of child sexual abuse... Victim says "He gave me money to silence me"

The Vatican Recognized It 3 Years Ago
Multiple Victims Are Presumed

Carlos Belo, a Roman Catholic bishop who received the Nobel Peace Prize, is under shock amid allegations of sexually abusing children in East Timor during the 1990s. Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Bora Lee] Carlos Belo, a Roman Catholic bishop from East Timor and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, has been accused of sexually abusing children in his home country during the 1990s. The Vatican is reported to have been aware of this for three years, causing shock.

According to the Associated Press, the Vatican issued a statement on the 29th (local time) saying, "Bishop Belo, who is suspected of sexually abusing minors, has been disciplined for two years," and added, "The Vatican's department handling sexual abuse cases first became involved in this case in 2019."

Vatican spokesperson Matteo Bruni explained, "In 2020, together with the East Timor government, disciplinary measures were imposed on Bishop Belo, including restrictions on his activities and ministry, and a ban on voluntary contact with minors," and added, "In 2021, the disciplinary measures against Bishop Belo were modified and strengthened." He also noted that Bishop Belo "officially accepted" these two disciplinary actions.

The Vatican's announcement came just one day after the Dutch weekly magazine De Groene Amsterdammer exposed allegations of sexual abuse against Bishop Belo. According to the report, Bishop Belo sexually abused poor boys at his residence in Dili, East Timor, during the 1990s and paid them money in return.

A victim known only by the name Roberto, interviewed by the publication, claimed to have been repeatedly sexually abused since the age of 14. He said, "The bishop raped and sexually abused me that night and sent me away early in the morning. It was still dark, so I had to wait before going home. He gave me money to keep me quiet and to make sure I would come back."

Based on testimonies from two victims, the publication made these accusations and claimed that there are several other victims who have not yet come forward. The magazine explained that many victims in East Timor, a Catholic country where 90% of the population are Catholics, have been unable to reveal the abuse.

Bishop Belo was appointed Apostolic Administrator of the Dili Diocese at the age of 35 in 1983, becoming the head of the East Timor Church. He actively worked to expose the brutal actions of the Indonesian military that ruled the East Timor region and the hardships faced by the East Timorese people worldwide.

In 1996, Bishop Belo was jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize with former East Timor President Jos? Ramos-Horta for leading the nonviolent independence movement in East Timor.

He later informed the Vatican of his intention to resign as Apostolic Administrator of the Dili Diocese on November 26, 2002, and Pope John Paul II, who was pope at the time, accepted it. He currently resides in Portugal and is reportedly unreachable at present.