ABRI starts civic mission next month

JAKARTA (JP): The Armed Forces (ABRI) will bring its civic mission, more popularly known as ABRI Masuk Desa (AMD), to help with the development in Indonesia's poorest villages.

Maj. Gen. Wiyoto, an assistant to Army chief on planning affairs, told reporters yesterday that ABRI would launch its 46th rural development program next month.

Sixty percent of the activity would be devoted towards building social projects in poor villages, he said.

"This policy is aimed at stimulating the economic growth in villages and giving people access to modern infrastructure," he said.

Citing examples, he said ABRI would build 55 kilometers of roads linking two remote areas in Sambas regency, West Kalimantan, rehabilitate 65 bridges in Kalimantan, Sulawesi and Irian Jaya, and build five bridges in Purwakarta, West Java.

The troopers will also build mosques, churches and schools in the targeted areas. (rms)