Indonesia: Homes of resettled Timor refugees burnt by mob

Kupang Pos web site, Kupang, in Indonesian 8 Oct 01

Excerpt from report by Indonesian newspaper Kupang Pos web site on 8 October

Kalabahi (Pos Kupang): Ten homes in the resettlement location of Tude Mauta, Alor district were burnt down by a mob on Monday (1 October) at 1400 local time. The mob, allegedly led by MM Massa, from Tude village, West Pantar sub-district, also destroyed an additional 14 houses.

Pos Kupang were informed of the fire on Tuesday (2 October) from the West Pantar sub-district head Rusdi Saleh and the Community and Regional Development Project leader Sutiyo Sumardin, when both arrived in Kalabahi by boat from Baranusa, capital of West Pantar.

Saleh claimed that on Monday he was picked up by resettlement project organizers Anis and Minggus. Both informed him there was a mob of Tude villagers gathered in the resettlement area planning to destroy the area. Saleh said he and two others then went Tude to check on the situation. "When we got there I was surprised to see 10 houses on fire and another 14 badly damaged. A bathing facility had also been destroyed," said Saleh...

"The group consisted of 30 members. Massa admitted to being the ring-leader who destroyed the homes," he said.

The reason for the destruction, according to Saleh, was the government had not yet provided running water to the area. They also felt the homes were not good enough...

Alor police chief Assistant Senior Commissioner MA Sudharmono, when asked for confirmation from Pos Kupang, said he had already produced a report and was waiting for further official information from the police post and residents of West Pantar...

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