Social envy explosive problem

Social envy explosive problem

DILI, East Timor: Social envy is the most pressing problem in
the province and needs to be solved soon, a senior local
legislator said yesterday.

"Social envy will cause more problems if it is not properly
resolved," said Soenartono, deputy chief of the provincial
legislative council.

He said that social problems have often sparked unrest in the
former Portuguese colony that was integrated into Indonesia in
1976.

The province was rocked by a series of ethnic riots last month
following the murder of a local youth by a migrant from South
Sulawesi.

The high unemployment rate makes conditions in the territory
especially explosive, he said as quoted by Antara.

The local government plans to deport more than 2,000 jobless
migrants so that more jobs will go to locals. (pan)