Ethnic violence victims wait for new housing

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)