Megawati to make first visit to Poso<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
President Megawati Soekarnoputri will visit the Central Sulawesi
\nregency of Poso next week, her first trip to the area since it
\nwas darkened by three years of religious violence which claimed
\nthousands of lives, officials said on Friday.<\/p>\n
The one-day visit is scheduled for next Wednesday, but
\nMegawati's main agenda is to lead a ceremony to celebrate this
\nyear's National Social Solidarity Day (HKSN) in Poso.<\/p>\n
Minister of Social Affairs Bachtiar Chamsyah confirmed
\nMegawati's planned visit, saying she would meet briefly with
\nvictims of the violence.<\/p>\n
"The President will take a look at houses (of the victims),
\nwhich have already been rebuilt in Poso," the Antara news agency
\nquoted Bachtiar as saying after meeting the President at the
\nState Palace in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Bachtiar said the government had rebuilt 10,000 of around
\n15,000 houses destroyed in the fighting between Muslims and
\nChristians since 2000.<\/p>\n
Each family affected by the violence would also received Rp
\n8.75 million in compensation from the government, he added.<\/p>\n
During the visit, Megawati would sign a peace inscription in
\nthe hope that the bloodshed was brought to a complete halt
\nfollowing the peace accord between leaders of the warring
\nfactions, Bachtiar said.<\/p>\n
He said the President would also donate 500 volley balls and
\nanother 500 footballs for students and youths once involved in
\nthe fighting.<\/p>\n
Burhanuddin Maragau, spokesman for the Poso administration,
\nsaid Megawati would also present humanitarian assistance to 1,000
\nvictims of the violence during the HKSN celebration.<\/p>\n
The head of state would continue on with her trip to other
\nprovinces in the eastern parts of Indonesia, he told Antara.<\/p>\n
Vice President Hamzah Haz has said earlier that he would visit
\nPoso after performing the Islamic Haj pilgrimage in Mecca in mid-
\nFebruary.<\/p>\n
Megawati's planned visit to Poso comes more than one year
\nafter the warring factions signed a truce on Dec. 19, 2001, in
\nthe hill resort of Malino, South Sulawesi.<\/p>\n
The peace agreement has significantly reduced the violence
\nthat has claimed about 2000 lives and forced thousands of others
\nto flee. However, sporadic violence still erupts.<\/p>\n
Furthermore, Bachtiar said his office would not provide a
\nspecial allocation of funds for Megawati's visit to Poso, as a
\nnumber of businesspeople, including The Nin King, would be among
\nthose joining the trip.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/megawati-to-make-first-visit-to-poso-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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