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Catholic World News News Feature

Vatican mourns Christians executed in Indonesia September 22, 2006

Vatican officials are mourning the deaths of three Indonesian Catholics who were executed on September 22 for allegedly masterminding a massacre of Muslims.

"It is very sad and very painful news," said Father Federico Lombardi, the director of the Vatican press office, speaking to reporters about the news that the three men were executed by a firing squad shortly after midnight on Friday.

The Vatican did not release a formal statement about the execution-- perhaps hoping to avoid further tensions with Islamic groups. News that the execution had occurred sparked rioting by Christians in Indonesia, the world's most populous Islamic country.

"We are very sorry that the efforts of various organizations, including the St. Egidio community, were not successful," said Father Lombardi. The St. Egidio community had issued a last-minute plea to the Indonesian government to stop the execution. He noted that Pope Benedict XVI had entered a plea for clemency for the Indonesian men.

Fabianus Tibo, Marinus Riwu, and Dominggus da Silva were convicted of organizing an assault on Muslims, during the months of religious violence that caused 2,000 deaths in the Indonesian province of Sulawesi. Both Church officials and human-rights activists had denounced their trial, noting that the defendants were not allowed to present exculpatory evidence. Critics of the Indonesian courts pointed out that the trial took place under heavy pressure from Islamic radicals, and observed that no Muslim has been convicted in connection with the religious clashes in Sulawesi.

The three men had originally been scheduled to die on August 12, but the execution was postponed after a series of appeals from international leaders. Nevertheless a new date was set without any response to the defendants' legal bid for a new appeal. When the execution was again postponed-- this time for a single day-- prison officials also refused to grant the request of a priest to hear the men's confessions and celebrate Mass with them a final time.

In his remarks to reporters, Father Lombardi noted that the Vatican has consistently opposed the use of the death penalty. The St. Egidio community, in its appeal on behalf of the condemned men, had also alluded to its efforts to abolish capital punishment.

Cardinal Paul Poupard, the president of the Pontifical Council for Inter-Religious Dialogue, joined in the expressions of sorrow after the execution. "Let us pray to the Lord that the blood which has been spilled will be a sign of hope for all believers in a merciful God," he said.