Limited help for isolated tribes

BANDJARMASIN, South Kalimantan: The chief of the local social affairs ministry, Umar Achmad, revealed here over the weekend that the provincial government had located 8,750 families of isolated communities in the province.

"So far, we are still handling only 2,500 families of isolated tribes living on the slopes of Mount Meratus because of financial restraints," he said at a meeting with several legislators on a field trip to the province.

Umar said the majority of tribespeople lived under poor circumstances, especially in the education and health fields, while the funds allocated by the provincial government to assist isolated tribes were enough for only 100 families.

"Under the present economic situation, it will take several decades to modernize the isolated communities," he said. --Antara