Irian seeks only eligible migrants

JAYAPURA, Irian Jaya: The province will only accept transmigrants who can help local people achieve prosperity, Governor Freddy Numberi said here on Saturday.

Freddy said the new approach of the resettlement program in the easternmost province was a response to allegations that the local government had been paying more attention to outsiders than locals.

Jealousy has led to the growing demand that the transmigration program be halted in Irian Jaya, or Papua as locals call it.

"We won't stop resettling families from outside Papua, but the local government will be more selective, meaning that only eligible transmigrants will be accepted," Freddy said.

The ratio between locals and migrant families was expected to stand at 60:40, Freddy said.

He acknowledged that there were many indigenous people who had farming traditions but lacked land to cultivate. (eba)