Rini to open markets on border area

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Minister of Trade and Industry, Rini M. Soewandi, will inaugurate three separate markets along the border of Indonesia and East Timor at the end of this month.

The construction of the markets is aimed at boosting the economy in the area, as well as reducing potential social conflicts stemming from the presence of East Timor refugees in East Nusa Tenggara province, which borders East Timor.

"We have been informed of the plan. She will inaugurate three markets on the border of East Nusa Tenggara and East Timor on Jan. 31," said Belu Regent Joachim Lopez, in the Belu regency capital of Atambua on Saturday.

The construction of the three markets in Belu regency was completed in December last year, at a cost of Rp 2.7 billion (US$317,647). The three markets are located in East Tasifeto, Raihat and Kobalima districts.

The Belu government is now offering spaces to vendors in the market, so that they can start business there, Joachim was quoted by Antara news agency as saying.

Following the independence of East Timor in 1999, thousands of pro-Indonesia refugees from the tiny country started to flow into the Indonesian territory of East Nusa Tenggara.

The presence of refugees in the province has created social problems. Many of them are jobless, so that attention from the government is badly needed to improve their economic condition and in turn reduce social problems in the area, including the high crime rate.