Batam industrial forest blockaded

Batam industrial forest blockaded

BATAM, Riau: The development of an industrial forest on the
island was halted when hundreds of locals blockaded the location
after PT Barelang Woods Industry (BWI), the developer, apparently
failed to pay compensation for the land appropriated for the
project.

"We do not know when the project will resume because a mob
that claims the industrial area is theirs is blocking the road to
the project," Antara quoted Edy, president of BWI, as saying here
on Saturday.

He said the blockade started in November and all workers
employed in the project had been forced to leave by the
protesters.

The 100-hectare, Rp 800 billion project belonging to a
Singaporean investor meets all conditions required by the Batam
Industrial Development Authority (BIDA).

He called on BIDA and security authorities to help settle the
land dispute, saying the company had obtained the land from BIDA.

"The Singaporean investor has asked law enforcers and BIDA for
assurances of legal certainty so that the project can resume," he
said, citing the investor had already invested Rp 20 billion in
the project. --Antara

Raha remains tense

RAHA, Southeast Sulawesi: The situation in the Southeast
Sulawesi town of Raha remains tense following bloody clashes
between two rival groups in the city.

Traffic on main roads in the city was nonexistent on Saturday,
stores remained closed and most residents stayed at home for fear
of fresh clashes.

The clashes occurred when dozens of supporters of outgoing
Regent Ridwan confronted Zainul, who claimed Ridwan's senior high
school diploma was fake, and physically attacked him and his
supporters. Dozens of people were injured and many remain
hospitalized.

Law No. 25/1999 on regional autonomy requires both governors
and regents to be holders of senior high school diplomas at the
very least.

Adj. Sr. Comr. Alimuddin Tinulu, chief of the Muna Police,
confirmed that the clashes occurred but said the cause was still
being investigated.

He said he had deployed two platoons of security personnel to
restore security and order in the town.

Illiteracy rate high in Bojonegoro

BOJONEGORO: The illiteracy rate in the East Java regency of
Bojonegoro is as high as 25 percent, with 312,000 of the 1.2
million people in the regency not attending school.

"A long time is needed to fight illiteracy since local
people's awareness of education is low," Sudjud, chief of the
local education office, said here on Saturday.

He said illiteracy could be found both in rural and urban
areas, adding that a majority of illiterate people lived in
forested areas in Malo, Temayang, Dander and Kasiman
subdistricts, far from Bojonegoro town.

He said his office had launched a special education program to
teach people to read and instill a love of reading among them in
an attempt to reduce the illiteracy rate. --Antara

Stepfather arrested for rape

BANDUNG: The police have arrested 40-year-old DH, a
construction worker, on charges of raping his 16-year-old
stepdaughter.

Adj. Comr. Jairusi, chief of the Astana Anyar Police, said
over the weekend the suspect had been apprehended at a friend's
house in Majalaya in Bandung regency.

"The suspect admitted his wrongdoing and he went into hiding
because he was confused about his stepdaughter's pregnancy," said
Jairusi.

According to the suspect's stepdaughter, she was raped at
knifepoint six months ago.

"I reported the case to the police after he (the suspect)
escaped and I was left alone at home," she said, saying her
mother died in 2000. --Antara

Divorce rate in Cirebon soars

CIREBON: The divorce rate has escalated in Cirebon, with 3,178
divorces registered at the Cirebon religious court in 2001.

According to data at the religious court, 40 percent of the
divorce cases were mostly due to economic reasons while the
remaining 60 percent were caused by disharmony, polygamy and
other noneconomical factors.

A majority of the wives filed for divorce after their husbands
failed to financially support them and their children.

Sulaiman, a clerk of the religious court, said only a small
number of marital problems were solved out of court.

He said another factor that contributed to the high divorce
rate was the fact that many people married at a young age, as
shown by the majority of the divorced couples being aged between
16 and 20.

He called on parents to educate their children on marriage and
prevent them from marrying under 20. --Antara

Makassar Police pick up gun package suspect

MAKASSAR, South Sulawesi: The Makassar City Police have sent
two detectives to Palu in Central Sulawesi to collect Jein Kaja,
the main suspect in the recently foiled shipment of guns and
explosive equipment to restive Poso.

Sr. Comr. Amin Saleh, chief of the city police, said the
suspect, who is in custody at the Palu Police station, would be
investigated in the city because his offense was committed here.

He said the suspect was a reporter at a print media in the
city and the police wanted him to reveal the source of the guns
and what they were to be used for in Poso.

The Palu Police are also investigating three suspects in
connection to the recent bombing of four churches in the city.

Security authorities have asked all warring factions in Poso
to surrender their guns and ammunition in an endeavor to end the
prolonged conflict. Warring factions in Poso signed a peace
agreement in Malino early in December to end the conflict.
--Antara