Govt vows to resolve refugee issue<\/p>\n
MANADO, North Sulawesi: The government has vowed to resolve
\nthe country's internal refugee problems by August this year at
\nthe latest.<\/p>\n
Minister of Social Affairs Bachtiar Chamsjah said in Manado,
\nNorth Sulawesi on Sunday that his ministry would look at several
\npossibilities, including sending refugees home or giving job
\ntraining so that they could make a living themselves.<\/p>\n
The minister said that each refugee would receive one lump sum
\npayment.<\/p>\n
He said the Ministry of Social Affairs had budgeted around Rp
\n700 billion (US$78.6 million) for the more than 500,000 refugees
\nfrom several conflict areas such as Maluku and Poso in Central
\nSulawesi. --Antara<\/p>\n
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\nANPAa..r..
\nScene-citizenship-status
\nConfusion over citizenship status
\nJP\/4\/<\/p>\n
Confusion over citizenship status<\/p>\n
ATAMBUA, East Nusa Tenggara: The Atambua District Court is
\nplanning to ask the government to clarify the citizenship status
\nof former East Timorese refugees in the regency.<\/p>\n
Court head Julius Viktor Rahardjo said Sunday that it would
\nask the regent of Belu and the foreign ministry to determine the
\nrefugee's citizenship status.<\/p>\n
He said confusion about citizenship could lead to difficulties
\nin court rulings.<\/p>\n
"If someone claims they are a citizen of East Timor after
\ncommitting a crime, it would be hard to process as we have no any
\nextradition agreement with East Timor yet," he said.<\/p>\n
Viktor also said that it would also be unfair to sentence a
\nperson without knowing their citizenship status.<\/p>\n
Viktor said he believed that refugees from East Timor who
\nrefused to return home should be given Indonesian citizenship.<\/p>\n
The refugee status lapsed on Dec. 31, 2002. Foreign Minister
\nHassan Wirayuda said earlier that the refugees would
\nautomatically become Indonesians if they chose to stay in
\nIndonesia after the deadline lapsed. -- Antara<\/p>\n
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\nANPAa..r..
\nScene-local-govt-law
\nLocal govts must abide by revoked law
\nJP\/4\/<\/p>\n
Local govts must abide by revoked law<\/p>\n
BANDAR LAMPUNG: The Ministry of Home Affairs wants local
\ngovernments to comply with a presidential decree relating to a
\nlocal government's authority to approve their regional budgets.<\/p>\n
"Presidential Decree No. 110 was revoked by the Supreme Court,
\nhowever, the President has not approved it. Therefore we should
\nstill abide by the decree when determining regional budgets,"
\nMinister of Home Affairs Hari Sabarno said Sunday.<\/p>\n
However, the President can not overturn decisions made by
\nIndonesia's highest court.<\/p>\n
Several regional governments have complained about a telegram
\nsent by the ministry early this month, saying that regional
\nbudgets must comply with the decree.<\/p>\n
The Minister said that although legislative councils could
\napprove their budgets, certain steps outlined in the decree must
\nbe followed to avoid the misuse of funds. --Antara<\/p>\n
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\nANPAa..r..
\nScene-quake-victims-home
\nQuake victims afraid to go home
\nJP\/4\/<\/p>\n
Quake victims afraid to go home<\/p>\n
JAKARTA: Hundreds of villagers from Sampora and Caracas in the
\nregency of Kuningan slept in the open over the weekend amid fears
\nof more aftershocks following last Friday's earthquake which
\nmeasured 4.8 on the Richter scale.<\/p>\n
No casualties were reported but people chose to pitch make-
\nshift tents rather than return home. Others left the villages to
\nlive with relatives or friends.<\/p>\n
On Saturday, residents began the clean-up in Caracas, where
\nthree houses were destroyed and 12 others damaged.<\/p>\n
Kuningan regent Arifin Setiamiharja promised cement to help
\nthe people rebuild. - Antara<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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