Jakarta – Over the next two weeks, the Indonesian government will send 200 judges to riot-torn areas such as Aceh, Maluku and Irian Jaya to restore their battered systems of justice.

The decision was made during last Thursday's Cabinet meeting, chaired by Vice-President Megawati Sukarnoputri, said the Minister of Justice and Human Rights, Mr Baharuddin Lopa. He added that his office had begun selecting the judges to be sent to the troubled provinces.

The judges would face very difficult situations, but the government would help them carry out their tasks, such as arranging accommodation for their families.

Speaking to reporters during a visit to Surabaya, East Java, on Saturday, Mr Lopa said: "It is an honourable task. I have asked related institutions to prepare proper accommodation facilities and security insurance for the judges."

At least 64 judges will be sent to Aceh, 23 to Palangkaraya in Central Kalimantan and 40 to Central Sulawesi, he said. It is unclear where the rest will go.

Escalating violence in several parts of the country has forced legal affairs officials to flee to safer areas, preventing their justice systems from functioning properly.