Ethnic violence victims wait for new housing

JAKARTA (JP): Three months after ethnic conflict ravaged West Kalimantan, 5,000 people whose homes were destroyed are still waiting for the government to provide shelters.

Governor Aspar Aswin reiterated yesterday that his office in cooperation with the Navy would build barracks for the homeless scattered across the province's northeast.

"The barracks' construction will speed up resettlement," Aspar was quoted by Antara as saying after attending a function with the Navy in Anjungan, 60 kilometers north of the capital of Pontianak.

He did not say how much they would spend on the project or the number of barracks to be built. He said the barracks would be built near the original homes.

The province's 1997/1998 budget would fund the project via the Navy's Surya Baskara operation, said the Western Indonesian Fleet's commander, Rear Admiral Sutjipto.

The Navy has regular operations to help poor people and people in isolated areas.

Ethnic violence erupted in at least seven of the province's regencies between last December and February this year, pitting indigenous Dayaks against migrant Madurese from East Java. Hundreds of people were reportedly killed.

Aspar said recently that almost 2,500 houses were destroyed and 93 others damaged, costing Rp 13.5 billion (US$5.8 million) in material damage.

Gatra magazine reported in its April 12 edition that the violence had left 20,000 Madurese homeless.

The government indicated last month that the Madurese might be moved to another province under the state transmigration program.

Madurese and other migrants officially constitute 12.5 percent of West Kalimantan's population of 3.6 million. (swe)