Three students left in Poso school

PALU, Central Sulawesi: Prolonged conflict in Poso regency has brought down the number of students in an elementary school here to three. Before the sectarian conflict broke out in 2000, the school, the Sintuwulemba state elementary school, had over 200 students.

Although the school has currently only three students, classes are still held as usual. "The school is very quiet, because all our friends have taken refuge in safer areas," said Dewi, one of the students.

The principal of the state elementary school, A.M. Rawung, confirmed on Thursday that there were only three students and several teachers in the school. "We have taken an oath to serve the public, so that although there are only three students, we have to run the school as usual," said the school principal.

The Sintuwulemba subdistrict used to be inhabited by Muslim transmigrants from Java island, but most of them have taken refuge elsewhere for fear of bloodshed as occurred in 2000. After four years, some refugees have now begun to return to the subdistrict and start a new life. -- JP