Madurese refugees ready to start new life

By Erma S. Ranik

PONTIANAK, West Kalimantan (JP): "I do not know when we can start farming here," Syamsudin, 39, complained. The farmer from Sanggau Ledo in Sambas regency was one of 500 Madurese refugees from Sambas.

The refugees from last year's ethnic riot pitting Madurese migrants and indigenous Malays now occupy a resettlement site provided by the government at Tebang Kacang village, Sui Raya subdistrict, Pontianak regency.

Syamsudin's complaint is well founded. He has occupied the house allocated to him for six months but, like other refugees, cannot yet start planting. The problem is that they are yet to clear the land that the government has provided for farming.

Now the refugees depend on government assistance for their basic necessities, such as rice, kerosene, cooking oil and salted fish. All this assistance will stop in a few months; after then they will be on their own.

Now they are hard pressed to imagine a future without land and government aid.

It is also impossible to plant crops on the land within their housing complex. Lacking a drainage system, their homesteads are often flooded.

Some refugees whose homes have not flooded have successfully grown corn. Other refugees are trying something different. "Felling trees in the forest," said Hasib, a refugee from Karimunting, Sui Raya subdistrict, Sambas regency. Hasib can earn Rp 15,000 a day from selling wood. "It helps make ends meet," he said.

Hasib hopes the land is ready for farming so that he can "start a new life" in the fertile Tebang Kacang. "We want to start farming as soon as possible."

Tebang Kacang was formerly a densely forested area. The first farmer to open the land to agriculture many years ago was Asmar H. Ibrahim, 74. Thanks to Asmar's tenacity, Tebang Kacang is now a prosperous agricultural village.

Tebang Kacang is a main producer of vegetables, ginger and other cash crops in West Kalimantan. "We grow coffee and fruit," said Amat, another Tebang Kacang resident.

Marketing is no problem because Tebang Kacang is well- connected with the main city, Pontianak, where farmers sell their products. The cities are two hours apart by boat.

However, life is not easy at Tebang Kacang. Asmar has prohibited residents from gambling and carrying sharp weapons. "Sharp weapons are allowed only on the farm," Amat said.

The relocated Madurese migrants displaced by bloody ethnic fighting between the indigenous Malay and Dayak groups had become everyone's headache. All districts openly refused to accommodate them except Tebang Kacang, probably because it was already predominantly Madurese.

The first migrant group arrived there six months ago. At that time, public facilities such as elementary schools and community health centers were under construction.

Children's education remains largely neglected -- there are no school buildings. "Elementary schools are yet to be built," said Subro, a college student who volunteers to help the displaced Madurese in Tebang Kacang.

The nearest elementary school to Tebang Kacang is located far from the resettlement complex across a river. The children are afraid to go there. To solve the problem, the refugees have established a foundation to run an Islamic elementary school, Madrasah Ibtidaiyah.

Makeshift shelters formerly used to accommodate the refugees are now used as classrooms.

The school has a great number of students. "Nearly 250," said Syamsudin, the Al Muhajirin foundation secretary. The teachers are self-supporting and recruited from among the refugees.

Health facilities and drinking water are not available. The refugees rely on the Kapuas river although the water is not very hygienic. People collect rainwater for drinking.

In short, life in the resettlement area is chaotic.

Many people are wondering about the Rp 3.6 billion which the government earmarked for refugees. Refugees said the funds were allocated for resettlement, clean water and schools, but they believe that the funds are largely unaccounted for.

"No one should exploit our misery for their own gains," a refugee said.