Over 1 million people displaced nationwide: Govt

JAKARTA (JP): Disaster and unrest have increased the number of internally displaced people in the country to a staggering 1,050,000, officials said on Thursday.

The secretary-general of the National Board of Social Welfare (BKSN), Ferry Johannes, said the refugees made up 240,333 families sheltering in 18 provinces, most in the Maluku islands.

"Maluku and North Maluku are home to some 220,000 refugees as the situation there never really improved," Ferry said on the sidelines of a hearing with House Commission VII for population and welfare.

He said the number of displaced people nationwide excluded refugees seeking safety from natural disasters in Luwuk Banggai, Bengkulu, Cilacap, Ciamis and Tasikmalaya.

He said a whopping 200,000 East Timor refugees were now scattered across several provinces, namely East Nusa Tenggara, West Nusa Tenggara, Bali and South Sulawesi.

Other territories where refugees were sheltering are Sambas in West Kalimantan with some 65,000 people, Aceh with about 44,000 people and Irian Jaya with about 18,000 fleeing the Maluku riots, Ferry said.

He added Jambi hosts the smallest number of displaced people, with some 1,300 people fleeing riot-torn Aceh.

Minister of Health and Social Welfare Ahmad Suyudi, who also attended the hearing, said his ministry was handling the refugees with related agencies.

He said the ministry had proposed Rp 4.11 trillion of budget for the next fiscal year. The figure equals 56.2 percent of the current budget.

"Our budget is quite limited, especially with the extra job of handling refugees. Fortunately, other state institutions which have integrated into our ministry brought with them their funds," Ahmad said.

He was referring to the state minister of social welfare office which was dissolved in August and BKSN, which will follow suit on Tuesday.

BKSN's incorporation with the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare will add two directorates dealing with rehabilitation and social aid and development of social welfare.

Ferry said BKSN was facing difficulties, especially in food and aid distribution to many remote refugee camps. The board also has to ask for funds from the Ministry of Finance every month, he added.

Each refugee is entitled to 400 grams of rice and a Rp 1,500 meal allowance per day.

"So imagine how much money we have to spend to help these people survive. Most have lost hope and have no future," he said.

"East Timor refugees are actually willing to be repatriated but they are facing difficulties in reclaiming their property."

A joint board from several related ministries will be established to help people claim their assets in East Timor.

Ahmad further revealed that the ministry is having problems locating doctors as well as part-time medical employees, as many refused to serve in remote or restive areas.

"Some 40 percent of 7,500 community health centers (Puskesmas) in the country have no doctors. That is why we really need to deploy part-time employees, who are mostly midwives and paramedics, to fill the posts for public service. But we cannot force them to do so," Achmad said, adding that there are 2,000 new doctors and some 5,000 midwives every year. (edt)