Malaysia denies entry to stranded Madurese refugees

Malaysia denies entry to stranded Madurese refugees

JAKARTA (JP): Over 400 embattled Madurese refugees escaping
terror in West Kalimantan's Sambas regency have found themselves
stranded at the port in the neighboring Malaysian state of
Sarawak, reports said on Wednesday.

They were denied entry by Malaysian authorities at Sematan
port in the Lundu district, but the mainly women and children
refugees were well taken care of and given medical and food
supplies, reports said.

A witness told Antara news agency that the refugees packed the
MB Pertini boat to flee the recent carnage, heading for the
provincial capital Pontianak, but changed direction when they
were attacked part way through their journey by locals.

Malaysian police said there was no reason to accept the
refugees, given that the Indonesian government accommodated all
refugees in Pontianak.

Over the past nine days, Malays, later joined sporadically by
Dayaks, have been hunting down Madurese. Locals cite long time
resentment against the migrants.

Indonesian police liaison officer in Kuching, Maj. Herman
Chaidir, was quoted by the Suara Pembaruan afternoon daily as
saying the Indonesian authority in Malaysia has arranged the
return of the refugees to Indonesia.

On Wednesday, a photographer from The Jakarta Post traveling
from Singkawang to Sambas -- around 80 kilometers -- said the
situation was calm and no armed Malay villagers could be seen on
the streets.

But smoke was seen billowing from the Jawai subdistrict on the
across the 800-meter wide Sambas river from Pemangkat.

Military trucks and tightly guarded civilian trucks were
occasionally seen carrying Madurese refugees hidden under
tarpaulins.

Tanjungpura Military chief Maj. Gen. Zainuri Hasyim told
Antara in Singkawang -- 145 kilometers north of Pontianak -- that
the situation in Sambas was slowly returning to normal.

"But the refugees remain our most serious priority," he said.

In Pontianak and surrounding areas, the number of refugees has
swollen to nearly 15,000, with hundreds being treated in
hospitals. A number of women have given birth in refugee centers.

Refugees so far are spread in 11 locations including some
3,000 at the haj dormitory, about 4,500 at the Pangsuma sports
stadium and another 3,000 at the Sultan Syarif Abdurrahman
stadium.

Authorities in Pontianak still maintain there have been 165
deaths. But local press reports said the bloodshed, which erupted
last Tuesday, had claimed 184 lives by late Tuesday.

AFP reported from Singkawang on Wednesday that hundreds of
fresh troops had been deployed to halt the violence.

The agency said military sources here confirmed reports that
an estimated 4,000 Madurese were trapped in the Jawai
subdistrict, with troops standing between them and encircling
Malay and Dayak attackers.

Meanwhile, in East Java's capital of Surabaya, some 2,000
refugees from West Kalimantan arrived by ferry.

In Jakarta, Minister of Transmigration A.M. Hendropriyono said
the transfer of people from the poor and overpopulated island of
Madura would not resume until the tension eased.

"I understand that not all people from West Kalimantan
disapprove of the arrival of Madurese," Hendropriyono was quoted
by the Media Indonesia daily as saying on Tuesday.

He cited the earlier presentation of generators from people in
West Kalimantan to Madura island, which is experiencing an
electricity power cut.

The island has survived on generators since late last month
when a ship's anchor severed an underwater power cable.

Agencies reported that soldiers killed four assailants on
Tuesday after mobs in the village of Simpang Monterado tried to
halt a convoy of trucks carrying about dozen Madurese. The
fighters retreated under fire.

In 1997, Madurese clashes with the indigenous Dayaks left at
least 300 dead.

Several leading politicians have called on President B.J.
Habibie to visit the site of carnage and the thousands of
displaced residents.

Until Thursday no such plans had been announced as the
President prepared to leave to Aceh on Friday for a one-day
visit. (aan)