Peace commission applauded

DILI, East Timor: The church's recent initiative to form Commission for Peace and Justice has been widely praised by local community leaders.

They hope that the commission will help to create more respect for human rights in the predominantly Roman Catholic province.

Florentino, chairman of the ETADEP Foundation, said the commission should address the numerous social problems stemming from racial discrimination and human rights abuses.

Priests said they form the commission out of concern that the local government officials and councilors were overwhelmed by public complaints about the various social problems.(yac)