Refugees want transparency

Refugees want transparency

MAUMERE, East Nusa Tenggara: As many as 598 families of East
Timor refugees in the regency of Sikka are demanding the
administration be fair and transparent in the spending of Rp 2
billion allocated to them.

Romanus Nong, spokesman for the refugees said on Friday he and
two others representing the refugees had just met with Regent
Paulus Moa. "We told the regent to be fair and open in the
distribution of the money or we will take legal steps," Romanus
said.

According to a reliable source, the money had been improperly
utilized as a total of Rp 260 million of the funds had been used
to finance a bus terminal renovation project and another Rp 900
million had been used for constructing and renovating markets in
the districts of Talibura, Paga and Maumere.

The rest of the money had been used for supplying clean water
and other regency development works, the source said.

Romanus said chairman of the East Nusa Tenggara Provincial
Development Planning Board had said in an official letter dated
June 9, 2000 that the Rp 2 billion fund for the refugees must not
be used for other purposes. (yac/sur)