Govt vows to continue resettlement program<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Transmigration Siswono Yudohusodo
\ndenied yesterday that transmigrants are increasingly reluctant to
\nbe resettled to the less developed areas of eastern Indonesia.<\/p>\n
In a parliamentary hearing yesterday, Minister Siswono
\nreiterated the government's commitment to continue the
\nresettlement program to balance out population distribution
\nnationwide.<\/p>\n
\"Compared to fiscal 1994\/95, the number of the people
\nresettled in Indonesia's eastern regions (in 1995\/96) has even
\nincreased,\" Siswono said, adding, however, that the government
\nhas fallen short of its target to resettle 70,400 families.<\/p>\n
Indonesia launched its transmigration program in 1971. Since
\nthen it has resettled more than 14 million people from the
\ndensely populated islands of Java, Madura and Bali to more
\nsparsely populated islands around the country.<\/p>\n
A legislator from Golkar, Arie Bambang Sigit, said that
\ncertain data indicate that more and more transmigrants want to
\nreturn to their places of origin as development in Java
\naccelerates.<\/p>\n
Arie called on the government to improve the living conditions
\nin the resettlement areas so that more people will be encouraged
\nto move.<\/p>\n
Suyoto, who represents the Armed Forces faction, said that in
\nfiscal 1995\/96, the local government of Yogyakarta, Central Java,
\nresettled only 23 percent of the number targeted.<\/p>\n
\"If the government wants to encourage more people to resettle
\nto other places outside Java, then the government should ask
\ntransmigrants who have been successful to persuade their fellow
\nvillagers in Java to be willing,\" Suyoto said. (16)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/govt-vows-to-continue-resettlement-program-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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