Jakarta – Social and religious leaders in a district of the Indonesian province of Central Kalimantan have agreed to the conditional return of Madurese refugees who fled weeks of bloodshed in February. "We mostly agreed that the Madurese can return, but we also set conditions," said Mr Gusti Abdul Hamid, spokesman for the "people's deliberation" meeting. Advertisement He said each of the 10 sub-districts was represented by at least 15 people at the two-day meeting.

They spelled out three conditions for the return of the Madurese to the region, which borders the hardest-hit district of Kotawaringin Timur where Dayak tribesmen killed more than 500 people during the February bloodletting, beheading many and burning their homes.

The first is that no Madurese can hold office in village, sub-district or district administrations. Secondly, the Madurese Association in the district should be disbanded and, thirdly, the returning Madurese should adjust to local customs and culture, not impose their own.

"Only one sub-district, Arut Utara, refused the return of the Madurese settlers," Mr Abdul Hamid said. He said resentment against the Madurese in Arut Utara was so deep that it was difficult for the local population to accept their return.

The aggressive nature of the Madurese settlers and their domination of the local economy has been blamed by many as the source of discord with the Dayaks.