Irian tribesmen resettled

Irian tribesmen resettled

JAYAPURA, Irian Jaya: Starting next year, the Ministry of Transmigration will resettle the tribesmen of the Baliem valley at a transmigration site currently being developed in the Jayawijaya regency.

Head of the local office of the ministry, J. Sudarmadi, told Antara that the prospective resettlers currently live in areas which are difficult to reach and prone to natural disasters.

Most of the tribesmen are slash-and-burn farmers. They will be given land to cultivate in the area near the Pass Valley district.

"Let's hope that by providing them with enough land, they will stop their nomadic way of life and become settled farmers," he said. (swe)