Habibie orders rebuilding of Ambon

Habibie orders rebuilding of Ambon

JAKARTA (JP): President B.J. Habibie ordered on Monday the
immediate rebuilding of the riot-torn city of Ambon and the
fostering of tolerance to prevent more clashes with religious
overtones, which officials say have killed 61 in the Maluku
province.

"The president has ordered a team of ministers to rehabilitate
and repair Ambon immediately," Coordinating Minister for People's
Welfare and Poverty Eradication, Haryono Suyono, said after
meeting Habibie at Merdeka Palace.

Haryono also said that six government ministers were scheduled
to visit Ambon on Tuesday to assess the damage from the violence
involving both Muslims and Christians, natives and migrants.

They were Haryono, forestry minister Muslimin Nasution, public
works minister Rachmadi Bambang Sumadhijo, health minister Farid
Anfasa Moeloek, religious affairs Minister Malik Fajar and social
services minister Yustika S. Baharsyah.

Haryono added the team would visit Ambon again next week to
ensure that reconstruction is under way.

The government said that the rioting in Ambon which erupted on
Jan. 19 and then spread to the nearby islands of Sanana, Tanimbar
and Seram had left at least 758 houses, 12 mosques, 13 churches
and hundreds of shops and kiosks burned or damaged.

Authorities have estimated the material losses at Rp 500
billion.

Government said that about 50,000 people had taken refuge in
military complexes, mosques, churches and other buildings and up
to Jan. 25, at least 30,000 people were still seeking shelter in
those complexes.

"The damage from the riots is unbelievable. It covers very
wide areas in and outside the city," Benyamin Mangkoedilaga of
the National Commission on Human Rights told The Jakarta Post
from Ambon on Monday.

Benyamin, who was on a fact-finding mission until Tuesday with
fellow rights body member Albert Hasibuan, said, "The May riots
in Jakarta were nothing compared to the Ambon riots."

"In Jakarta, the buildings still stand, but here in some parts
they are all razed to the ground," Benyamin said, referring to
the riots in the capital which killed more than 1,200 people and
led to the downfall of Soeharto.

He said,"It was impossible the riots had not been organized as
they caused very extensive damage over a wide area in a very
short period."

"A seaport official told me that a number of people from
Jakarta arrived in the city a few days before the rioting to
instigate locals," Benyamin said, adding the information still
could not be verified.

A number of religious leaders have cited reports that thugs
and hoodlums of a Jakarta organization were involved in the
riots, but neither the organization nor its leaders have been
named.

Haryono also said on Monday that priority should be given to
the repair of housing and economy related facilities, including
markets and government offices.

The government, he said, will help pedicab drivers who have
lost their pedicabs acquire new ones and will provide assistance
to those who cannot afford to rebuild their houses.

The rich are expected to rebuild their own houses, he said.

Thousands of people fearing more violence have left Ambon by
ship for their hometowns in South Sulawesi and other parts of the
country.

Antara reported on Monday that a number of Southeast Sulawesi
migrants who left Ambon would go to Malaysia to start anew.

"The riots have left us with nothing, while it is difficult in
our home villages to earn a living," Halimu, a migrant, was
quoted as saying on his way to Malaysia from the provincial
capital of Kendari.

Many were willing to go to Malaysia illegally because some
people there were ready to shelter them and arrange all the
necessary documents for them to be able to work in the country.

Thousands of illegal Indonesian workers have been repatriated
from Malaysia.

Antara also quoted a local health official as saying that the
threats of malnutrition, malaria and diarrhea were imminent in
the military complexes, mosques, churches and other buildings as
thousands of people have taken refuge there.

Head of the local health office, Isac Umarella said many women
and children in shelters were suffering from malnutrition.

"We hope the local government will immediately provide new
residential areas for the people whose houses have been destroyed
in the riots," Isac was quoted as saying.

However he said that shortage of medical supplies had been
overcome by a donation of 2.5 tons of supplies from the
government.

The violence was sparked by a fight between a Muslim migrant
and a local Christian public transport driver on Jan. 19. The
incident quickly degenerated into full-scale riots between
members of the two religious communities.

The unrest in Ambon is only one of several incidents seen in
the past year since former president Soeharto stepped down in
May.

Analysts predict more unrest in the wake of the elections
slated for June this year. (byg/prb)