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)