Jayapura to resettle isolated tribes

Jayapura to resettle isolated tribes

JAYAPURA, Papua: The Jayapura regency administration has
allocated Rp 3 billion to resettle isolated tribes in the regency
during the 2003 fiscal year.

Nicolaus Dake, a senior staff member of the local social
affairs office, said here on Wednesday that there were dozens of
tribes engaged in seminomadic agriculture along the Memberamo
river, which flows through the regency. So far, they had not been
resettled because of a lack of funds.

"This year the government has allocated Rp 3 billion to
finance the erection of modest homes for the tribespeople, who
are still living the stone age," he said.

Nicolaus said his office had conducted a survey of the remote
areas where the tribes lived as a preliminary move prior to the
construction of the houses.

"In our talks with the tribespeople, they expressed the wish
to be resettled and start engaging in intensive agriculture," he
said, adding that he still had doubts over whether the
resettlement program would be successful as the tribespeople were
so used to the seminomadic life. -- Antara