Christ statue draws crowds

DILI, East Timor: The huge statue of Jesus Christ in Metiaut village in eastern Dili is already drawing huge crowds daily although it has not yet been completed.

Antara reported that hundreds of people are making their way down the 1,000 meter path each day in order to view the statue, which is located at the top of a hill overlooking the sea.

The statue's inauguration, originally scheduled for this year, has been postponed until next year to enable President Soeharto to fit the occasion into his busy schedule. Workers are still putting the finishing touches on the 27-meter-tall monument, said to be the second-biggest statue in the world after the one in Sao Paolo, Brazil. (emb)