Villagers invited to Geneva

MAUMERE, East Nusa Tenggara: A resident of Rendu village in Ngada regency here, Vincent Herman Mosa, has been invited to visit the office of the United Nations Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva, Switzerland, next July.

Vincent said on Friday that the invitation was due to his report about violence experienced by himself and fellow villagers by members of the Indonesian Military and National Police in 1995.

He said the reason for the violence was because the villagers were fighting for their rights over land on which the government planned to develop into an integrated economic area.

He had earlier reported the case to the National Commission on Human Rights in Jakarta, but there was no follow-up, he said.

Two other people will join Vincent on the trip to Geneva. (yac)