Kontras established in East Timor

DILI, East Timor: Rights activists launched on Monday the regional office of the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras), Antara reported.

Community leaders and youth activists attended the launch of the organization which will seek to protect locals' rights. Coordinator Isabel D.C. Ferreira said the body has a board of 14 advisors led by Munir, who is the coordinator of Kontras in Jakarta.

The East Timor Kontras has five members, and it will specifically investigate rights violations, Isabel said.

She said the reform era has brought to light various problems of humanity in the territory where life for the past 23 years had been dominated by the military.