Students of Arastamar Theological College (Setia), stranded since a July campus clash, have begun moving into buildings without electricity and proper sanitation, formerly used as the West Jakarta administration's offices.

The students are being reassigned from two temporary locations, a campsite in Cibubur and a guest house, Wisma Transito, in Pondok Kelapa, both in East Jakarta.

"The Setia management agreed to take the offer after the administration officially contacted us and recommended the building," Edison Djama, Setia deputy rector, said Wednesday.

"So far, the administration has not given us a time limit for how long we can stay there. It might be far from the old campus in Kampung Pulo (also in East Jakarta), but that's all right as long as our students can study," he added.

Back in early August, West Jakarta Mayor Djoko reported his recommendation that students be moved to the former administration building had been accepted by Governor Fauzi Bowo.

As of Thursday, more than 40 students were preparing to move to the new site.

"We actually wanted to move all of the students, both from Wisma Transito and Cibubur, to the new shelters, but we couldn't because conditions inside the building are still inappropriate," said Yosia Belo, a Setia employee.

"The 40 students who will move in first have volunteered to clean up the buildings.

"We have designated the third and fourth floors as dorms for female students, while a two-story building next to it will be used as a male dormitory and classrooms," he added.

Four hundred students, both male and female, from the nursing department will stay on at the Wisma Transito guest house, as it is close to Budi Asih and UKI hospitals, training sites for students, Yosia said.

During The Jakarta Post's visit to the buildings Wednesday afternoon, students were seen busily cleaning up rooms and repainting ceilings and walls, which remained partially damaged.

Only female students will have initial acccess to electricity, as the proposed male dormitory lacks power, in addition to adequate bathroom and washing facilities. There are two bathing and toilet facilities in the proposed female dorm.

"Lack of sanitation and electricity has turned out to be a big problem for us. We're still trying to figure out what to do," Yosia said.

More than 1,200 Setia students were relocated from their college campus following a clash with residents of nearby Kampung Pulo. Nearly 570 female students were assigned to a campsite, where they were divided among 16 tents provided by the East Jakarta administration, with the college's 680 male students sent to a guest house.

A Setia student, Welfis, said he did not mind moving to another shelter.

"It doesn't bother me that we'll be staying in this building. The most important thing is that we can continue our studies," he added, while cleaning the new site.

"But I do hope we can all go back to the campus in Kampung Pulo," he added.

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