North Maluku refugees to be sent home

AMBON, Maluku: The Maluku civilian emergency administration is set to repatriate 5,140 people currently taking refuge in Ambon to their homes in North Maluku.

"We will send thousands of refugees home soon," said Rachman Soumena, who heads the refugee center in Ambon, on Thursday.

Soumena said sending the refugees home would help lower the population in Ambon.

"Infrastructure in Ambon can no longer support the extra people. Therefore the refugees must be sent back to their hometowns. They may join the transmigration program, if necessary," he said.

Ambon Mayor MJ Papilaja sent him a letter requesting that he not allow refugees from outside Ambon to live in the city, Soumena said.

The administration recorded 332,548 refugees in Ambon following sectarian unrest in several areas in the province a number of years ago. -- Antara