Church vs state row settled in E. Timor

Church vs state row settled in E. Timor

AUSTRALIA: Three weeks of protests in the East Timor capital
against Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri's policy of separating the
church and the state came to an end on Monday with a compromise
deal that allows religion to be taught in schools but attendance
at classes to be optional.

As many as 10,000 people had attended protest meetings in Dili
backing the stance of church leaders and calling on the Alkatiri
government to stand down.

More than 95 percent of East Timor's 800,000 people are
Catholics and the church had insisted that religious education be
taught in schools. Alkatiri had insisted that the constitution
adopted at independence three years ago was a secular one and
that there should be no compulsory religious instruction in
schools.

President Xanana Gusmao brokered a deal acceptable to both the
Catholic church and Alkatiri's government. -- DPA