Jakarta – Refugees from the Christian-Moslem clashes in the Indonesian island of Ambon are living in poor conditions lacking proper food and medical care, and prey to illnesses which have claimed 25 lives, reports said Saturday.

More than 50,800 refugees are being sheltered on Buton island, off southeast Sulawesi, after fleeing the violence which left 350 people dead and 6,000 homes torched.

The Jakarta Post reported Saturday that the refugees were huddled into makeshift centres where conditions have been "worsened by the poor quality of refugee centres as many of them did not meet health standards."

Many of them had fallen ill with diarrhea and cholera. Some 16 people had died from diarrhea since early this year, the Post said, adding the state Antara news agency had spoken of 25 deaths so far from various illnesses.

A Buton official, Syamsuddin Kasim, told the Post the island was struggling to provide for the refugees because it had not received much assistance.

"The local administration's capability is limited. Imagine we have to feed thousands of people every day," he told the Post.

An officer at a command post in Lakulo district said a cholera outbreak hit 20 refugees including young children and babies last month, but was quelled with help from the army and medical school of the University of Indonesia.

Syamsuddin said Buton was trying to transfer the refugees to other regions. Some 500 would be sent to Kolaka on southeast Sulawesi as a first step.

"The move is intended to help avoid conflicts between the refugees and local residents of Buton," he said, adding otherewise the refugees could pose a heavy social burden on the island.

Last month Maluku Governor Saleh Latuconsina said 350 people had died in the violence which rocked the island province of Maluku, known as the Spice Islands.

He said many others had been injured in the violence, but the exact figure was unknown.

Moslem-Christian violence broke out in Ambon, the main city of Maluku, in mid-January and later spread to several corners of the island province.