Madurese refugees not relocated

PONTIANAK, West Kalimantan: None of the Madurese migrant refugees have moved from their temporary resettlements here despite the July 1 deadline set by the Dayak and Malay communities.

Spokesman for the West Kalimantan administration Tatang Isya Iskandar said on Wednesday that there were pros and cons to the planned resettlement expressed by refugees. "Some agree, others refuse."

He admitted that as many as 116 family heads had moved to Tebang Kacang in the regency of Pontianak. "But they moved on their own initiative and expense. They are living with their relatives, instead of staying in the houses made available by the government."

More than 60,000 Madurese migrants who fled Sambas in 1999 have been living in Pontianak. Local people, mostly Malay and Dayak, said that the refugees who had resettled in separate areas in the town, had become trouble makers.

In an effort to encourage the refugees to move to the new sites, the provincial relocation team members took 22 refugees on Thursday to visit the Sungai Asam relocation site.

"It will be hard for us to move here," Thamrin, one of the refugees said after seeing the promised location. (46/sur)