The Jakarta Post, February 24, 2006
Refugees in Ambon to be relocated
M. Azis Tunny, The Jakarta Post, Ambon
The Ambon municipal administration will relocate displaced people who are still
occupying shop-houses in the commercial district in downtown Ambon in anticipation
of the return of Chinese-Indonesian refugees who own the buildings.
A number! of public places and government buildings, which have so far been used by
the people displaced by the Maluku conflict which broke out in 1999, will also be
cleared out and cleaned up, said Ambon Deputy Mayor Syarif Hadler recently.
Maluku legislator Kutni Tuhepaly, however, was not in favor of the policy because
most of the refugees occupying a number of buildings on Jl. AY Patty, Jl. Sam
Ratulangi, Jl. AM Sangadji and the Batumerah area had yet to receive building
materials or houses promised by the government. This condition, especially when
Ambon is slated to hold the mayoral election on May 3, could create instability.
Kutny said the government should not evict people but persuade them to leave.
"Don't provoke people by evicting them because I'm afraid the situation may be explo!
ited by certain groups for their own ends," Kutny told The Jakarta Post in Ambon on
Thursday.
He said that most of the displaced people were traders or city dwellers who had the
potential to revitalize the economy, while others included pedicab drivers and
sweepers.
"If they are evicted without warning and without providing them with a suitable place to
live, this could have an adverse impact on their living conditions, leading to
unemployment, poverty and various other problems. This is what we should consider,"
he said.
Syarif had earlier announced that the planned eviction would take place on Feb. 22.
According to him, the Ambon municipal administration will try to relocate the refugees
within a period of one month.
"We are focusing on pu! blic and social facilities, as well as government buildings that
are still being inhabited by refugees which are to be vacated soon," he said.
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.
Syarif said that his office would inform the public of the planned eviction and
relocation.
Separately, chairman of the Maluku Refugees Coalition, Pieter Pattiwaelapia, said
that his group would support the relocation of the refugees, on the condition that the
new sites were equipped with basic facilities.
Pattiwaelapia emphasiz! ed that the government should equip the relocation sites with
schools, health centers, places of worship, electricity, piped water, a good drainage
system and toilets.
"The fact is, most of the refugees who have been relocated have encountered
problems due to the absence of such facilities," he said.
He added that in accordance with a 2003 Maluku gubernatorial decree on technical
guidelines, the refugee supervision should be carried out in an integrated manner.
"However, in reality it hasn't been done in accordance with the technical guidelines,
therefore it is not surprising to see refugees who have refused to leave (the
commercial zones) to resettle in their hometowns or relocation sites.
"Even those who were relocated earlier, are distress! ed due to the lack of basic
facilities," he said.
MAKING DO: Makeshift shelters made of plywood and corrugated iron are seen atop
deserted shop-houses on Jl. AY Patty in Ambon, Maluku. Some refugees have
occupied the roofs of the buildings, while others have claimed the shop-houses
themselves. (JP/Azis Tunny)
All contents copyright © of The Jakarta Post.
|
