Mine clearing to begin in Ambon<\/p>\n
AMBON, Maluku: Soldiers are set to clean scores of land mines in
\nSirimau district, outside the provincial capital of Ambon, that
\nwere planted during the three-year sectarian clash.<\/p>\n
Assigned to the mine clearing task is the North Sumatra Bukit
\nBarisan Arhanudse Battalion. Its commander, Col. Haris Sarjana,
\nsaid the area of Ahuru in Sirimau was infested with land mines.<\/p>\n
\"Based on an initial survey, there are plenty of land mines in
\nAhuru, and many are still active,\" Haris said on Monday. \"We're
\nnot sure whether the land mines are those from the Indonesian
\nMilitary (TNI), or homemade devices.\"<\/p>\n
Some 300 families used to live in Ahuru, but only a dozen now
\nremain. Residents fled Ahuru when clashes between Maluku's
\nChristian and Muslim communities broke out in 1999.<\/p>\n
It is not clear who planted the mines, and detecting them was
\ndifficult, Haris said. Much of Ahuru is covered in impenetrable
\nbush and high grass after four years of negligence.<\/p>\n
Several soldiers had already been injured by mines, said
\nHaris, adding that Ahuru was now a closed area surrounded by a
\nnumber of military guardposts.<\/p>\n
\"We hope to start clearing the mines as soon as possible so
\nthat Ahuru residents may return, and so that efforts to
\nreconstruct and rehabilitate their houses and infrastructure
\ncould start,\" Haris said. -- Antara<\/p>\n
;JP;bkm;
\nANPAa..r..
\nAcross-Surabaya-councillor-polygamy
\nPolygamous councillor sentenced to jail
\nJP\/ \/Acros<\/p>\n
Polygamous councillor sentenced to jail<\/p>\n
SURABAYA, East Java: An East Java deputy council speaker from the
\nPolice and the Indonesian Military (TNI) faction was sentenced on
\nMonday to four months in jail by a local military court on
\ncharges of fraud, carried out to enable him to take a second
\nwife.<\/p>\n
The Surabaya military court granted councillor Col. Masduki,
\n54, a six-month probationary period, during which time he will
\nremain free, unless he commits another crime. Prosecutors
\ndemanded a six-month jail term.<\/p>\n
Masduki was found guilty of fraud, falsifying his identity to
\nmarry 32-year-old Indah Sulistyowati in 1996. In his marriage
\ndocument, he used a false name and claimed to be an entrepreneur
\nwhose wife had passed away.<\/p>\n
Polygamy is not allowed for military personnel. Masduki was
\nalready married to Linda Yun Aripurawanti, with whom he has three
\nchildren.<\/p>\n
The illegal marriage went unnoticed for four years until March
\n2000, when Linda found out. Masduki chose to divorce Indah,
\nleaving her with two children, aged one and two.<\/p>\n
Masduki's lawyers said they would respond to the court's
\nverdict within seven days. -- Antara<\/p>\n
;JP;bkm;
\nANPAa..r..
\nAcross-Semarang-motorcycle-thieves
\nMotorcycle thieves arrested
\nJP\/ \/Acros<\/p>\n
Motorcycle thieves arrested<\/p>\n
SEMARANG, Central Java: Police here arrested five alleged members
\nof a gang specializing in motorcycle thefts in the regencies of
\nKudus and Jepara.<\/p>\n
A joint team of the Kudus and Jepara police precincts raided
\nthe suspects' hiding place in the village of Muryolobo in Jepara,
\nsaid Kudus police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Bimo Anggoro Seno on
\nMonday. He said that along with the five suspects, police seized
\nseven motorcycles.<\/p>\n
One of the suspects, 36-year-old Kasnan, is a village
\nofficial. The three others -- Suntono, 26, Jamal, 28, and Safii,
\n21 -- are his neighbors. The fifth suspect, Maskan, 28, is a
\nresident of Bandeng Rejo village in Jepara regency, Bambang said.<\/p>\n
\"We are continuing to investigate the case. With the seven
\nmotorcycles as evidence, we hope the investigation can uncover
\nother, similar crimes in several areas,\" he said. -- Antara<\/p>\n
;JP;bkm;
\nANPAa..r..
\nAcross-Batam-short-water
\nBatam running short of water
\nJP\/ \/Acros<\/p>\n
Batam running short of water<\/p>\n
BATAM, Riau Islands: A local water company warned that drought
\nmight hit the industrial island of Batam, as water catchment
\nareas were shrinking, giving way to business complexes.<\/p>\n
Director of water company PT Adhya Tirta Batam Piter Robin
\nsaid on Monday that the water level in several reservoirs had
\ndropped despite continued rainfall.<\/p>\n
\"The rain water does not flow into the reservoirs because
\nforests have been felled to give way for business complexes,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Consequently, Adhya Tirta was unable to increase its supply to
\nmeet the rising demand for water, Piter explained.<\/p>\n
Batam's population is growing fast, as migrants flock to the
\nindustrial island, lured by its fast-expanding economy.<\/p>\n
For the past few days, however, Adhya Tirta has been unable to
\nmeet the water demand in several areas on the island. As a
\nresult, its customers had to purchase bottled water or rely on
\ntheir own water tanks to meet their needs. -- Antara<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/mine-clearing-to-begin-in-ambon-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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