Rights body's plan welcomed

DILI, East Timor: The plan of the National Commission on Human Rights to set up a branch office here has been warmly welcomed by Oscar Da Costa Belo, an influential local scholar.

The branch office is expected to directly monitor human rights issues in the former Portuguese colony.

"I don't think the establishment of the branch office will encounter any problems because it will be very useful for the locals to channel their opinions," said Oscar, the dean of the school of social and political science at East Timor University.

He said that human rights in East Timor had often been highly politicized in international fora.

"Human rights violations occur everywhere in the world, but it is a big issue when the abuse happens in East Timor," he said, as quoted by Antara. (pan)