Batam autonomy
\nworries investors<\/p>\n
BATAM, Riau: Implementation of regional autonomy on Batam
\nisland is worrying investors from neighboring Singapore.<\/p>\n
Like businesspeople from other parts of the world,
\nSingaporeans have not yet received sufficient information about
\nthe autonomy that Indonesia's central government gave to
\nregencies one year ago.<\/p>\n
Antara reported on Tuesday that the issue of autonomy for
\nBatam was raised by Singaporean businesspeople every time they
\nmet Indonesian diplomats in the city state.<\/p>\n
Singaporeans are major investors on the industrial island.<\/p>\n
"Autonomy in Batam has become the main topic at every meeting
\nbetween embassy officials and Singaporean businesspeople," an
\nIndonesian diplomat told Antara.<\/p>\n
Autonomy for the regencies and mayoralties has had some
\nundesirable effects, such as inconsistencies in regulations
\nissued by the local and central governments.<\/p>\n
There have been fears that unless legal certainty and security
\nare assured, investors will stay away from Batam.<\/p>\n
;ANTARA;
\nANPAa..r..
\nAcross-Aceh-transport
\nInsecurity cripples transport in Aceh
\nJP\/2\/ACROSS<\/p>\n
Insecurity cripples
\ntransport in Aceh<\/p>\n
BANDA ACEH: Public transport between Banda Aceh, at the
\nwestern tip of Aceh, and Aceh Singkil in the east has been
\ncrippled over the past fortnight due to instability in the
\nregion.<\/p>\n
CV BAS and CV Aceh Barat, the two bus companies serving the
\nroute every day, stopped their operations two weeks ago following
\nan incident in Aceh Singkil in which a dozen civilians were
\nkilled.<\/p>\n
The military and Free Aceh Movement (GAM) rebels blamed each
\nother for the massacre.<\/p>\n
The shortest route is normally through the central highland
\nhighways, however, people now have to travel through West and
\nSouth Aceh regencies. The journey takes about 15 hours at double
\nthe cost of Rp 50,000.<\/p>\n
Another alternative is through the eastern and northern
\nhighways down to the borders with North Sumatra. The trip takes
\nup to 18 hours at Rp 100,000.<\/p>\n
;ANTARA;
\nANPAa..r..
\nAcross-Manokwari-threat
\nTribalpeople threaten log firm
\nJP\/2\/ACROSS<\/p>\n
Tribalpeople
\nthreaten log firm<\/p>\n
MANOKWARI, Irian Jaya: Tribespeople in Fruata village, Babo
\nsubdistrict, have threatened to forcibly stop the operations of a
\nlogging company, PT Agoda Rimba Irian, unless their demand for
\ncompensation is met.<\/p>\n
The villagers claim that the company, a subsidiary of the
\nJayanti Group, has felled trees on a 16-square-kilometer area of
\ntheir communal land, which lies outside its concession. They
\ndemand compensation of Rp 2 billion.<\/p>\n
Willy Nafurbenan, a community elder, said that the illegal
\nlogging on the communal land has caused a substantial loss of
\nforest products, the locals' livelihood, such as rattan and
\nresin.<\/p>\n
"We have repeatedly written to the company asking the managers
\nto stop the illegal logging, but our requests have fallen on deaf
\nears," Willy told Antara.<\/p>\n
;JP;42;
\nANPAa..r..
\nAcross-Students-Brawl
\nStudents seek refuge after brawl
\nJP\/2\/Across<\/p>\n
Students seek
\nrefuge after brawl<\/p>\n
MEDAN, North Sumatra: At least 200 students of the Catholic
\nUniversity of St. Thomas here started seeking refuge at the
\nprovincial legislative council building on Tuesday for fear that
\nresidents living around their campus would attack their boarding
\nhouses. This followed a two-day fierce brawl between them in
\nwhich 60 students were rushed to hospital with injuries.<\/p>\n
The students said they felt unsafe staying at the boarding
\nhouses, which are located around the campus. They also criticized
\nthe campus management's decision to close the campus for one week
\nfollowing the bloody clash.<\/p>\n
Chairman of Students Council Bernas Nababan told The Jakarta
\nPost on Tuesday that the students had no other place that was
\nsecure from intimidation by local residents, who had been
\nsearching for them in the vicinity of the campus since Sunday.<\/p>\n
"We reported to the Medan Police about our being here and the
\npolice chief agreed."<\/p>\n
The brawl, which erupted on Friday night, was initiated by the
\nresidents' anger at the students, whom they accused of having
\nextorted a street vendor.<\/p>\n
Some students acknowledged that the brawl had been triggered
\nby some of their number. "Six students refused to pay completely
\nfor the meal they had eaten at a roadside stall. The stall owner
\nbecame angry and hit one of the students, unconfirmed reports
\nsaid. That happened on Friday night," said a student who asked to
\nremain anonymous. "The stall owner was usually very tolerant of
\nthe students when they were unable to pay completely for their
\nmeal. But on Friday night he got very angry, although the
\nstudents owed him only Rp 3,000."<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, police were still on alert on Tuesday at the
\ncampus, whose buildings housing the Law, Technical and Literature
\nschools, which were partly damaged.<\/p>\n
There was no reports on how the university had approached the
\nresidents to make peace. (42\/sur)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/batam-autonomy-1447899208",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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