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)