Trócaire appeals for funds for Guatamalan Mayans

Irish aid agency Trócaire has appealed for funds for the native Maya people of Guatemala as part of its 2003 Lenten campaign.

Trócaire is supporting the Mayan efforts to prosecute the country's army and paramilitaries for massacring 100,000 of their people in 1981 and 1982.

The Mayan community makes up 65% of the Guatamalan population and suffers from widespread poverty.

Trócaire said funds raised in this year's Lenten campaign will also be used to fund development projects in Iraq, southern Africa and Ethiopia.