Jakarta, Indonesia, Sept 7, SPA -- Indonesia on Tuesday approved a truth-and-reconciliation panel to investigate thousands of state-sponsored killings and abductions during the 32-yeardictatorship of former President Suharto. The commission, loosely modeled on the body established inSouth Africa after the end of apartheid, was approved byParliament and will begin work next year. "This will help heal the wounds of Indonesia's past,"said Sidarto Danusubroto, head of the parliamentarycommittee that formulated the laws. "This is the way ofreconciliation beyond the court system." The 21-member Reconciliation and Truth Commission willhave the power to investigate rights abuses dating back to1945, when Indonesia gained independence from Dutchcolonial rule, Danusubroto said.--SPA1341 Local Time 1041 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/198950