15 killed in two accidents in S. Sumatra

15 killed in two accidents in S. Sumatra

PALEMBANG, South Sumatra: At least 15 people died and several
others were injured in two traffic accidents that occurred on
South Sumatra highways over the weekend, police and residents
reported on Tuesday.

An Isuzu Panther van was seriously damaged when it collided
with a Lorena bus plying the Jakarta-Padang route in Terawas
village, Musi Rawas regency, on Sunday, killing all five people
aboard the van. None of the bus passengers were seriously
injured.

In another incident, 10 died when two trucks collided head-on
on Monday in Kurup village on the Baturaja highway, Lubuk Batang
subdistrict, as the first truck, which was carrying a party of
workers, smashed into the second truck, which was carrying coffee
beans, after the first truck tried to overtake a car.

The dead and injured were rushed to the nearest hospital,
while the driver of the coffee truck gave himself up to police.

About three weeks ago, a Suzuki Katana and a truck collided on
the road between Palembang and Indralaya in Ogan Komering Ilir
regency. Five young physicians traveling in the Katana died
instantly in this collision. --Antara

;JP;
ANPAa..r..
Across-rights-Papua
Team to select Papua's rights delegates
JP/5/acros17

Team to select Papua's rights delegates

JAYAPURA, Papua: The Papuan provincial legislature will soon
form a team to select members of the Papua branch of the National
Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM), councillors said on
Tuesday.

Paskalis Kossay, the secretary of the provincial council's
human rights committee, said the selection team would comprise
councillors, members of non-governmental organizations and
journalists.

The selected commission members would comprise Papuan
community figures, religious leaders, women's activists,
intellectuals and journalists.

"The team will give priority to those having clean records and
independent attitudes in dealing with and settling cases of human
rights violations in this easternmost province," Kossay said.
--Antara

;JP;
ANPAa..r..
Across-budget-NSulawesi
Payday for top N. Sulawesi officials
JP/5/acros17

Payday for top N. Sulawesi officials

MANADO, North Sulawesi: The North Sulawesi provincial
administration has allocated at least 2.59 percent of its 2003
budget on what are termed "tactical funds" for the governor,
deputy governor and council speaker.

As detailed in Governor A.J. Sondakh's decision on budget
allocations, this year's provincial budget amounts to more than
Rp 350 billion (US$41.17 million), of which over Rp 9 billion
will be devoted to the tactical funds.

The budget will be financed by local taxes, levies, profits
from local government enterprises, and general allocation fund
(DAU) and special allocation fund (DAK) transfers.

Out of the tactical funds, the governor will get Rp
4,569,844,000 in various allowances and travel expenses, the
deputy governor Rp 3,895,095,000 and the council speaker Rp
600,000,000, or around Rp 380 million, Rp 324 million and Rp 50
million per month respectively.

The huge funds earmarked for the three are in sharp contrast
to the allocation of Rp 165,064,218,100 for public expenditure on
the province's population of about two million people -- about Rp
82,502 per person per year.

However, some councillors appeared unfazed by the tactical
fund allocations for the three top officials, claiming they were
perfectly reasonable.

Sondakh claimed that the greater part of the funds would be
allocated to local community groups, and public and professional
organizations.

"We have to make a sufficient allocation. Any unspent funds
will be returned to the provincial treasury," he said. --JP