More Mamasa refugees return home

MAKASSAR, South Sulawesi: A total of 1,140 displaced villagers from Aralle, Tabulahan and Mambi sub-districts in Mamasa regency, who were forced to flee their homes due to deadly inter-village fighting last month, had returned home over the last five days, an official said.

Akmal Hidayat, the chairman of a government team handling the refuge-seekers, said that the last batch of 493, out of a total of 1,140 refugees from the Dharma and Cadika refugee camps, went home on Thursday as the situation, precipitated by the central government's plan to split the regency, had calmed down.

Akmal acknowledged, however, that more than 2,000 refugees were still in other camps or at their relatives' homes throughout Mamasa regency. "We expect that all the refugees will be able to return home at least a week before Idul Fitri, on Nov. 25," said Akmal.

The displaced people, numbering more than 4,000 a month ago, were victims of a communal conflict between long time local residents and recent migrants in the Aralle, Tabulahan and Mambi subdistricts last month.

The conflict broke out after people from the three subdistricts rejected a decision by the central government to split Polewali-Mamasa regency into two regencies.

Three people were killed after clashes among the supporters and the opponents of the regency split. Two others reportedly died in the refugee camps, due to poor health conditions. -- Antara