Water shortages common in Kendari

Water shortages common in Kendari

KENDARI, Southeast Sulawesi: Unlike people in big cities who
suffer from water shortages only during the dry season, residents
of Buton regency's Binongko island lack water the whole year.

Freshwater on the island of 13,000 people has become a luxury
commodity due to the absence of water sources.

"The water on the island is salty. Therefore, freshwater here
is considered a luxury," said one of the island's inhabitants
Muslimin.

People in the island collect rainwater and keep it for use
during the dry season.

The lack of freshwater on the island has been a deterrent to
medical staff from visiting it.

When it comes to a visit by government officials, local people
usually take water from the nearest island, Buton. It takes 18
hours to travel there by boat.

Southeast Sulawesi Governor Laode Kaimoeddin has pledged that
the local government will install a machine to convert saltwater
into freshwater. - Antara

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ANPA..r..
Across-Poso-terrorism
No terrorist camp in Poso
JP/5/across

'No terrorist camp in Poso'

PALU, Central Sulawesi: Local district military commander Col.
Suwahyuhadji denied speculation that a terrorist camp had been
operating in the provincial regency of Poso.

"That accusation is untrue and baseless," he said after a
commemoration of Youth Pledge Day here on Monday.

Suwahyuhadji was responding to foreign media reports last week
that a terrorist camp had been built in Poso. The media quoted
the Australian Security and Intelligence Agency, which had
obtained first-hand information from the Spanish government.

Commenting on the security situation in Poso, Suwahyuhadji
said that conditions had been improving over the past three
months.

A group of Army Special Force intelligence personnel were
deployed in July to investigate a series of bombings that had
rocked the town. -- Antara

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Across-Manado-tolerance
Muslims, Christians unite in Manado
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Muslims, Christians unite in Manado

MANADO, North Sulawesi: A group of Christians have joined
Muslims in a renovation project for mosques in the provincial
capital, Manado, as the fasting month of Ramadhan draws near.

Chairman of Indonesian Youths for Mosque Coordination Djafar
Alkatiri said some 150 Muslim and Christian youths took part in
the activity.

The young people were observed cleaning up the yard and fences
of the Nurul Amin Mosque and carrying out renovations to the
building on Monday.

Chairman of the Nurul Amin Mosque management board Musmar
Suikromo said local people were familiar with voluntary work
associated with either mosques or churches.

The work, involving people from different religions, has
become routine, especially ahead of the Muslim fasting month of
Ramadhan, Idul Fitri, Christmas and New Year.

Musmar said the solidarity had existed for decades. If people
from other religions held prayer sessions, others guarded the
place of worship, he added. -- Antara