The Jakarta Post, February 20, 2006
Chinese-Indonesians want to return to Ambon
M. Azis Tunny, The Jakarta Post, Ambon
Chinese-Indonesians who used to live in downtown Ambon have expressed their
desire to return to their homes as the area, devastated by sectarian conflict from 1999
to 2002, gradually returns to normal.
Since 1999, Chinese-Indonesian residents living in the area were forced to leave their
homes and businesses, fleeing mainly to cities like Surabaya, Manado and Jakarta.
Many of their houses were burned down in the conflict.
As the situation in Ambon returns to some semblance of peace, a number of buildings
left behind by their owners have been inhabited by displaced people rendered
homeless by the conflict.
Jl. Patty was previously Ambon's liveliest street, in terms of vehicles and pedestrians,
before the sectarian conflict. A lot of people around the country compared it to Jl.
Malioboro in Yogyakarta. They had, for a time, been equally famous for their shopping
centers and as places for social interaction.
However, when the conflict broke out, the road became a dangerous area for people to
reside near or traverse. A 500-meter stretch of street later became the demarcation
line between opposing Muslim and Christian communities.
Maluku Deputy Governor M.A. Latuconsina said the administration was nearly ready
for the return of Chinese-Indonesian residents.
"We've asked them to be ready to return in the middle of April so they can restore
their shop-houses, which were damaged during the conflict," Laticonsina told
reporters after a meeting Thursday with representatives of Chinese-Indonesian
residents at the Maluku gubernatorial office.
Latuconsina added that not only did those who lived in the area before the conflict
intend to return, but also families who used to live in other parts of Ambon.
"They have stated their readiness to restore their buildings. They are also entitled, like
other displaced people, to building materials from the government," he said.
Ambon Deputy Mayor Syarif Hadler told The Jakarta Post the municipal
administration was in the middle of efforts to vacate the buildings that were still
occupied by displaced people.
Syarif said the displaced people would be resettled in new houses in the Kata-Kate
area. He added that the municipality had formed a special team, involving National
Police and Indonesian Military personnel, to evict the displaced people who were
unwilling to vacate the buildings.
"We will secure the area as soon as they've been evicted. We hope that the returning
Chinese-Indonesian residents can immediately settle in and resume their business
activities," said Hadler.
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