Margareth S. Aritonang, Jakarta – As Amnesty International called on the government to guarantee the safe return of members of the Shia community in Sampang, Madura, the local government has once again decided to cut off food and medical supplies for the displaced victims.
Shia leaders said that the local government in Sampang had cut off the supplies in late December last year. Shia cleric Iklil Al Milal, who is a leader of the local Shia community, told The Jakarta Post that the displaced victims were now depending on private donors to help them pay for food and medical supplies.
"The last food was distributed on Dec. 26. We are grateful for the assistance from people out there who have supported us so far, but we don't know how long we can stay like this," Iklil said.
He said that some of the victims were now suffering from respiratory problems because of poor sanitation in the sports stadium where they have been sheltering since a mob burned down their homes in Karang Gayam village, last August.
"One of us is suffering from dengue, while others, especially toddlers, are struggling to cope with the wet season. We beg the health authority to help us," Iklil said.
The local administration had earlier cut off food and water supplies for the displaced Shiites on Nov. 22, 2012. Following a flurry of media reports, the administration resumed the service two weeks later.
Meanwhile on Wednesday, the New York-based human rights group Amnesty International called on the government to guarantee the safe return of the displaced Shiites to their own community.
"The Indonesian authorities must guarantee the safe, voluntary and dignified return of the Shia community to their homes, according to their wishes, and help them to rebuild the homes that were damaged or destroyed," said Isabelle Arradon of Amnesty International's Asia Pacific Program in a statement.
The group also called on the government to end all forms of discriminations against the minority group.
"They must also end discrimination against religious minorities in the country and investigate reports that the local and provincial authorities are coercing Shia followers to renounce their faith before they are allowed to return to their homes," she said.
Amnesty International said that it had gathered credible local sources who testified that the local authorities had given the Shiites until March to convert to the majority Sunni faith otherwise they would remain displaced from their homes.
The group also reminded the Indonesian government about a similar case in Lombok, West Nusa Tengara, where an Ahmadiyah community suffered an attack in February 2008.
Members of that community are still living in a temporary shelter after six years. The Universalia Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHU), one of the groups which has provided legal assistance for the Sampang Shiites, said that there were currently 165 people sheltering in the sports center, including 29 young children.
The group also reported that the East Java Police had withdrawn officers deployed to protect the displaced Shia victims since Jan. 1.