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Shia IDPs still prohibited from returning home
The Universalia Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHU) says the authorities are still prohibiting hundreds of Shia internally displaced persons (IDPs) from returning to their homes in Sampang, Madura, or visiting their relatives in other areas of the island, citing security concerns
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he Universalia Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHU) says the authorities are still prohibiting hundreds of Shia internally displaced persons (IDPs) from returning to their homes in Sampang, Madura, or visiting their relatives in other areas of the island, citing security concerns.
'It has now been two years since Shiites from Sampang were forcibly evicted from their homes,' YLBHU coordinator Hertasning Ichlas said in Surabaya on Sunday, as quoted by Antara news agency.
He said Ikli Al Milal, coordinator for the Sampang Shia IDPs, had sent him a message to explain that they were facing difficulties in returning home to celebrate Idul Fitri.
'I asked the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) for permission to celebrate Idul Fitri at my in-laws' house in Pamekasan, but my request was rejected. Irfan [a BNPB official] said the refusal was directed to IDPs who wanted to return home to Madura, particularly Sampang,' Hertasning said, quoting Ikli's message.
He said the local people in Sampang had founded several positive initiatives to resolve the inter-communal conflict, adding that the displaced Shiites and the local community had agreed to reconcile as part of a "peace for people" program.
Hertasning said Public Housing Minister Djan Faridz, Islamic teacher KH Noer Iskandar along with other Islamic teachers or kyai, as well as facilitators for the IDPs, had agreed to participate in a number of reconciliation programs, including the reconstruction of Shiite homes damaged during the conflict.
'This is one of the most crucial breakthroughs from the parties involved to resolve the conflict based on the rights and interests of the people,' Hertasning said.
The programs have yet to be put into practice, however, as the local administration is upholding its ban on allowing the IDPs to return home.
Hertasning said the central government and East Java administration continued to claim that the situation in Sampang was not safe enough, but they had failed to provide any clear or detailed explanation.
'If the government is unable to resolve the problem, what purpose is there in continuing to prevent the Shiites from returning home while, at the same time, rejecting every civil society initiative proposed by the IDPs and the local community to resolve it?' Hertasning concluded. (ebf)
