Resettlement project for refugees begins

Resettlement project for refugees begins

MANADO, North Sulawesi (JP): A massive resettlement project
for some 40,000 refugees in North Sulawesi began this month in an
attempt to help them get on their feet again.

"The refugees are those who have fled conflicts in Maluku and
Central Sulawesi, both of which have claimed thousands of lives,"
North Maluku Governor A.J. Sondakh said during a visit by foreign
envoys and the Minister of Regional Infrastructure and Settlement
Erna Witoelar last week.

"Based on polls held among the refugees, it turns out that
they don't wish to go back to their hometowns.

"Therefore, we have decided to resettle them in several cities
and regencies across North Sulawesi," the governor said.

The delegation met with the five Sulawesi governors at North
Sulawesi's Sam Ratulangi Airport to discuss the latest situation
of the refugees and the natural disasters that have hit a number
of areas in Sulawesi over the past few months.

The latest data shows that the North Sulawesi capital of
Manado hosts the largest number of internally displaced persons
(IDP), with a total of 16,800, while Bitung town has 12,120,
Minahasa regency 4,400, Bolaang Mongondow regency 1,175, Sangihe
Talaud regency 3,800, Gorontalo regency and Gorontalo city 406
and 826 respectively and Bualemo regency 215.

"We have no choice but to put the resettlement project into
effect as both the local and central governments can no longer
provide sufficient funds to support the thousands of refugees
here," Minister Erna told The Jakarta Post.

"If we continue to provide aid, they will never get back on
their feet," she said.

The figures cited, however, exclude the victims of the recent
widespread natural disasters, including floods, landslides and
earthquakes, which have hit Manado, Minahasa, Sangihe Talaud,
Gorontalo and Bolaang Mongondow.

The first scheme consists of the development of 500 houses in
Pandu village, Mapanget district in Manado city which will be 75
percent completed this month.

The complex is expected to house around 2,500 people and is
due to be completed over the next few months.

The second phase will comprise the construction of housing
developments on a 20-hectare plot in the city of Bitung, some 225
kilometers east of Manado and a four-hectare site in Tahuna town,
Sangihe Talaud regency.

"All of the housing complexes will be provided with proper
electricity and water connections, and we hope that the foreign
donors can help us with this," Governor Sondakh said.

At the meeting, it was also revealed that a total of four
natural disasters have hit several regencies in North Sulawesi
between November of last year and this month.

Up to 52 people have died while dozens of others have been
reported missing as a result of the disasters, while trillions of
rupiah in losses have been recorded.

"The worst hit area was Sangihe Talaud regency where an
earthquake and torrential rains led to massive landslides that
buried 32 people between Jan. 15 and Jan. 21 of this year,"
Sondakh said.

Road access to Minahasa has also been cut due to the massive
flooding which occurred in the area on Nov. 30 last year.

In a bid to cope with the problem, the Ministry of Regional
Infrastructure and Settlement has allocated Rp 20 billion to
reconstruct the bridges connecting Minahasa to the other cities
in Sulawesi.

The three bridges involved are the 120-meter Ranoiapo bridge
and the 60-meter Ranowangko bridge, both located in Amurang
district some 80 kilometers from Manado, and the 120-meter Poigar
bridge in Minahasa district. (edt)