Govt to build 3,000 houses for refugees

Yemris Fointuna, The Jakarta Post, Kupang

KUPANG: The Social Services Ministry will build some 3,000 houses, at a cost of Rp 45 billion, for East Timorese refugees who have lived in makeshift camps since in 1999.

Head of Kupang Social Agency, Frans Salem, said Tuesday the administration planned to relocate all refugees to proper residences in 2008, and would encourage them to be independent and lead normal lives.

"We also plan to help develop productive sources of income (for the refugees)," he said, adding the administration had distributed funds amounting to Rp 4 million per household to develop home enterprises.

According to Frans, there were 9,672 East Timorese households still living in poverty. About 6,000 of them have been relocated, while the rest still live in camps in Kupang and Belu regencies. --JP