| Subject: Houses for Timor Leste refugees
The Jakarta Post Wednesday, November 1, 2006
Houses for Timor Leste refugees
KUPANG, East Nusa Tenggara: The Indonesian Social Services Ministry has
set aside Rp 72 billion (US$7.57 million) for the construction of 5,000
houses to accommodate Timor Leste refugees living in West Timor, East Nusa
Tenggara.
"The construction of the houses will be completed by the end of
this year" the head of the East Nusa Tenggara Social Services Office,
Frans Salem said, adding that the houses would be built in three regencies
-- Belu, Timor Tengah Utara and Timor Tengah Selatan.
"The houses are being provided specifically for refugees who
already have their own plots of land. The government prepares the funds
and the building materials, while they are constructed by soldiers from
the Wirasakti Military Command in Kupang," he said.
The involvement of soldiers in the construction of the houses is in
line with an agreement between the Social Services Ministry and Indonesian
Military Headquarters in Jakarta, Frans said.
Each house, costing Rp 14 million, will measure 30 square meters and
will be equipped with two bedrooms, a bathroom, toilet and kitchen.
According to data from the East Nusa Tenggara provincial
administration, up to 21,000 families consisting of about 100,000 people
are still being accommodated in temporary shelters in a number of
regencies in the province.
------------------------------------------ Joyo Indonesia News Service
|
