Transmigrants flee unrest

SEMARANG: A total of 1,247 transmigrant farmers from Central Java returned to their hometowns following unrest at their transmigration sites, according to the head of the provincial transmigration office, Dyah Paramawartiningsih.

She said 1,006 transmigrants returned from Aceh, 199 from East Timor, 30 from West Kalimantan, nine from Irian Jaya and three from Maluku.

She said the majority of the transmigrants hailed from the Central Java regencies of Cilacap, Wonosobo, Kendal, Batang, Semarang, Pati, Demak, Tegal, Karanganyar, Boyolali, Purworejo, Purbalingga and Brebes.

Dyah said the transmigrants were willing to be resent to areas outside of the densely populated Java which were safe from unrest and ethnic conflict.(har)