Minister urges probe into refugee aid embezzlement<\/p>\n
Ridwan Max Sijabat, The Jakarta Post, Palu, Central Sulawesi<\/p>\n
Minister of Social Affairs Bachtiar Chamsyah called on the North
\nSumatra authorities to investigate thoroughly the alleged
\nembezzlement of funds worth more than Rp 36 billion (about US$4
\nmillion) earmarked for Acehnese refugees currently stranded in
\ntemporary camps in the province.<\/p>\n
He said North Sumatra Governor T. Rizal Nurdin had to account
\nfor the distribution of the funds to the remaining 4,000 people
\nwho have been taking refuge in Medan and its environs since the
\nsituation in Aceh escalated three years ago.<\/p>\n
\"The central government has disbursed almost Rp 100 billion to
\nthe provincial administration to resettle a total of 11,000
\nrefugees, and to simultaneously end the refugee problem in the
\nprovince. The local government there must be held responsible for
\nthe funds that have not yet been distributed to the remaining
\n4,000 refugees,\" he said here on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Bachtiar was accompanying Vice President Hamzah Haz on a visit
\nto evaluate the implementation of the Malino peace accord in the
\nonce-troubled regency of Poso. Also accompanying the Vice
\nPresident were Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Rokhmin
\nDahuri, Minister of Religious Affairs Said Agiel Al Munawar and
\nState Minister for the Empowerment of Small and Medium
\nEnterprises Ali Marwan Hanan.<\/p>\n
At least two refugees have died and several others are in
\nintensive care in the hospital in Medan after staging a hunger
\nstrike to demand the local government disburse the resettlement
\nfunds. Hundreds of other refugees are now camped out at the North
\nSumatra legislative council building after the provincial
\nadministration failed to respond to their demands.<\/p>\n
Bachtiar added that many sides, including a number of non-
\ngovernmental organizations, had allegedly tried to take financial
\nadvantage of the resettlement program by encouraging the refugees
\nto participate in demonstrations.<\/p>\n
He said the social affairs office, which now comes under the
\nprovincial administration following regional autonomy, had
\nprepared a database on the number of Acehnese refugees in the
\nprovince.<\/p>\n
\"Of course, the provincial administration has recorded that
\nthere are some 4,000 refugees who have received resettlement
\nfunds. However, some of those camped out at the provincial
\nlegislature building are not refugees as their identities are not
\nrecorded in the database,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He admitted that a number of staffers in the provincial social
\naffairs office were involved in the embezzlement of the funds and
\nthat they ought to be brought to justice.<\/p>\n
According to the resettlement program, refugees are entitled
\nto a total of Rp 8,750,000 each to build modest homes and to
\nsurvive for three months.<\/p>\n
\"The governor should order the police and the prosecutor's
\noffice in Medan to investigate this corruption,\" Bachtiar said,
\nadding that it was intolerable as besides committing crimes, the
\ncorrupt officials were also stealing humanitarian aid earmarked
\nfor refugees.<\/p>\n
The minister said further that the refugees would be allowed
\nto return to their home villages in Aceh if the situation there
\nimproved.<\/p>\n
\"The government has never prohibited them from returning to
\nAceh. But it will be difficult for them to do so as even with the
\ncessation of hostilities agreement, the situation in the province
\nhas yet to return to normal,\" he said.<\/p>",
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