Madurese given humanitarian aid

SAMPANG, East Java: The Catholic Relief Service (CRS) and local interreligious forum (FLA) on Saturday kicked off an assistance program for some 5,000 Madurese families who were seeking refugee in their hometown following bloody conflicts in several towns in Central Kalimantan.

The program will provide assistance for a three-month period for the Madurese refugees.

During the three-month program, the humanitarian mission would provide 200 tons of rice, 56,250 kilograms of salted fish, 56,250 liters of cooking oil, 5,000 pails and 5,000 pans.

"This kind of assistance will help the people meet their basic needs in order to survive," the CRS field office director Jerry Chamberland said in a statement, a copy of which was made available to The Jakarta Post.

The program was launched at Darusallam Al-Faizolyah Islamic boarding school in Sampang, Madura. Also attending the ceremony was East Java deputy governor Imam Supardi, FLA coordinator Ali Maschan Moesa and senior local community figures. (emf)