Shelters being built for Maluku refugees

Shelters being built for Maluku refugees

AMBON, Maluku (JP): The province is currently sheltering some
280,000 refugees who have fled the 19-months of violence in the
area.

"This massive amount of refugees needs immediate care and we
are hoping to help them go back to their own villages instead of
moving them someplace else," the deputy chief of the Maluku
Natural Disaster Coordinating Unit, John Looy, said on Monday.

The exact number of refugees listed by the unit has reached
279,567, John said.

According to data, a total of 83,686 refugees are located in
Ambon mayoralty, Central Maluku regency hosts 71,653 refugees,
Southeast Maluku regency 59,377, Southeast West Maluku regency
53,723 and the Buru islands regency is home to 11,128 refugees.

"Those people came from various villages and areas hit by
riots. Some came from North Maluku province while some came from
the Maluku islands," John said.

The local administration, with the help of non-governmental
organizations and foreign donors, is currently building shelters
for refugees, he said.

"We're also in the process of rebuilding several villages so
people can go back there and not be segregated in camps based on
their religion," John said, referring to the fact that many
refugee camps are religiously segregated for reasons of security.

In Ambon mayoralty, most Muslim refugees have sought shelter
in the areas of Batu Merah and Waehaong, while Christians are
concentrated in the Karang Panjang sport complex.

The only shelter that is totally mixed is in Halong Naval
Base, six kilometers east of Ambon, where there are an estimated
10,000 refugees.

Billions

In a related development, Pattimura University rector Mus
Hulisenan said a preliminary assessment of losses in the
destruction of the 30-hectare university compound totaled at
least Rp 500 billion.

"This damage only includes structures and equipment. Other
priceless losses unaccounted for are thousands of books, research
and documentary work, as well as important documents," he said.

The university has set a Sept. 30 deadline for all lecturers
and staff to return to work.

"So far only 50 percent of around 900 staff members are
available here. If they don't return to Ambon by that date, they
will be replaced by new staff," Mus said.

The rector said the damage report would be handed over to Vice
President Megawati Soekarnoputri.

Meanwhile on Monday, Maluku Governor Saleh Latuconsina visited
the Air Salobar area, which is known as a base for the Laskar
Jihad.

Latucosina met with residents from the villages of Latuhalat,
Eri Amahusu and Nusaniwe, who complained about conditions there,
including intimidation by armed gangs and extortion by security
forces.

In another development, at around 9:15 p.m. local time on
Sunday, Pvt. Mulyono was killed and Sgt. M. Bahrun Bohren
severely injured in a gun accident in the Pattimura Military
Logistics Center, Maluku joint security spokesman Col. Hadimulyo
said on Monday. (49/edt/yac)