Thu, 21 Aug 2003

Sex education for Ambonese refugees

AMBON, Maluku: The United Nations Fund Population Agency (UNFPA) has provided Rp 2.2 billion (US$258,000) in assistance toward the instigation of a reproduction program in Maluku province, which was wracked by three years of sectarian fighting since 1999.

The aid was also intended to provide emergency funds for refugees, who fled their homes due to the conflict, Maluku family planning agency's Gusti Ayu Sri Astuti said here on Wednesday.

She said the reproduction program, which is carried out with the cooperation of her office, had already started in the regencies of Southeast Maluku, Central Maluku and Ambon in November 2002.

It will be fully operational in 2004, she added.

Astuti said the program hopes to prevent Ambonese refugees from participating in unsafe sex. It will also educate them about the prevention of sex-related diseases and provide them with condoms.

She said the program will also commence in Buru regency in October 2003 and that her office is already preparing plans, in coordination with relevant local agencies.

Astuti said the government is still considering whether the program will be implemented in the regency of Maluku Tenggara Barat.--Antara

;JP;NFK; ANPAa..r.. Across-fisherman Officials accused of protecting trawlers JP/5/Deli

Officials accused of protecting trawlers

DELI SERDANG, North Sumatra: Hundreds of fishermen in Deli Serdang regency and neighboring districts demanded on Wednesday that security authorities deal sternly with trawlers operating off the coast of North Sumatra.

The fishermen blamed the trawlers for their small catches.

"We cannot do anything, the number of trawlers continues to increase and security personnel do not stop them," said one protester.

The fishermen accused local security authorities of colluding with the trawlers.

Trawlers operate at day and night in waters off North Sumatra. They manage to make off with big catches, the protester added.

The fishermen said the presence of trawlers has drastically reduced their daily earnings. --Antara

;JP;NFK; ANPAa..r.. Across-Police-Alzier Police told to speed up Alzier's probe JP/5/Alzier

Police told to speed up Alzier's probe

BANDARLAMPUNG, Lampung: The provincial prosecutor's office urged police on Wednesday to immediately complete the dossier of Lampung's elected governor, M. Alzier Dianis Thabrani, who is charged with corruption.

"We have written to the police asking them to speed up the investigation, so the dossier can be brought to court for the trial," spokesman for the Lampung Prosecutor's Office Fietra Sani said.

Alzier was elected the new Lampung governor on Dec. 30 last year, but the central government decided to postpone the ceremony to swear him in, pending the investigation into his graft case.

He was charged with embezzling state funds to procure 500 tons of fertilizer for farmers in Lampung.

Sani said Alzier was also accused of using a fake diploma to contest the gubernatorial election.

He defeated incumbent Lampung Governor Sumarsono who was backed by President Megawati Soekarnoputri. --Antara