Riot refugees to go back to Kupang<\/p>\n
UJUNGPANDANG: South Sulawesi Governor HZB Palaguna said his
\noffice will help migrants from the area return to Kupang, East
\nNusatenggara, where they earn a living.<\/p>\n
Up to 2,000 migrants fled Kupang for South Sulawesi following
\nriots last Nov. 30 in which six mosques were burnt and vandalized
\nand many homes attacked.<\/p>\n
\"We will pay for all expenses for residents intending to
\nreturn to their hometowns,\" whether by land, air or sea, Antara
\nreported Palagna as saying on Tuesday after a breaking of the
\nfast meal.<\/p>\n
The administration also promised to help repair homes in
\nKupang which were damaged in the riots.<\/p>\n
On Nov. 30, three mosques were burnt and three others were
\nvandalized, in apparent retaliation for the Ketapang tragedy in
\nJakarta, in which 22 churches were burnt and vandalized and 14
\npeople killed. A church in Ujungpandang was burnt on Dec. 4.<\/p>\n
Palaguna, quoting sources in predominantly Christian Kupang,
\nsaid authorities and the public guaranteed their safety, adding
\nthat the community had missed the hundreds of South Sulawesi
\npeople working there, mostly as traders.<\/p>\n
However, the migrants said they were still traumatized by the
\nriots. \"We'd rather stay here in safety with our families in the
\nkampong,\" Mustafa, one of those who had taken refuge, said.<\/p>\n
His house and all the furniture inside was destroyed by mobs,
\nhe said. Migrants from South Sulawesi of the Bugis-Makassar
\nethnic group are estimated at 7 million people across the
\ncountry, including around 35,000 living in East Nusatenggara.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/riot-refugees-to-go-back-to-kupang-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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