VZCZCXRO9393
PP RUEHDT RUEHROV
DE RUEHROV #0088 1461446
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 261446Z MAY 06
FM AMEMBASSY VATICAN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0343
INFO RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME PRIORITY 0045
RUEHDT/AMEMBASSY DILI PRIORITY 0005
RUEHROV/AMEMBASSY VATICAN 0371

UNCLAS VATICAN 000088 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EUR/WE LARREA; 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM VT ID
SUBJECT: VATICAN: EAST TIMORESE ACTIVIST CALLS FOR ATTENTION 
 
 
¶1.  (SBU)  Fernanda Borges, the founder of East Timor's National 
Party, was in Rome recently pleading for greater international 
attention to the disorder and violence in her country.  We met 
with Borges at the headquarters of the Community of Sant'Egidio, 
the Catholic lay group best known for conflict resolution and 
HIV/AIDS work in Africa that was hosting her.  Borges told us 
she was a former government minister who had also worked for the 
East Timor Bishops Conference.  She said she didn't like the 
direction of the current government and that her party aimed to 
rectify the situation by more accurately representing the will 
of the people.  "The people don't feel the government represents 
them," she claimed.  Borges criticized the corruption and lack 
of accountability of local governments in East Timor and called 
for a better educational system, particularly at the 
post-secondary level. 
 
 
¶2.  (SBU)  Borges said she enjoyed close contact with the U.S. 
and Australian embassies in Dili, and made a convincing case for 
why East Timor "should still matter" to the U.S. and others. 
Her connections with Sant'Egidio are worthy of note.  We 
understand the Community currently has little or no presence in 
East Timor, but with an active Catholic Church and such a high 
percentage of believers, the nation could be fertile ground for 
the movement.  Sant'Egidio stays out of politics, but is active 
on migration, poverty, and health issues, in addition to 
maintaining an active portfolio on inter-religious dialogue and 
conflict-resolution efforts. 
 
SANDROLINI