More Irianese wear clothing

More Irianese wear clothing

WAMENA, Irian Jaya (Antara): More Irianese living in remote
areas are now able to speak Bahasa Indonesia and choose to wear
clothing instead of penis sheaths, or koteka, thanks to
government policy aimed at opening up the province through
infrastructure development programs, an official said over the
weekend.

Wamena regent JB Wenas said the development programs had
helped to provide electricity and construct roads to remote
villages, freeing tribal people from isolation.

The program has had a tremendous impact on the people's life
and enabled more Irianese to communicate with people from other
regions and to learn the Indonesian language. People have also
started to sell agricultural products and buy clothing,
abandoning traditional penis sheaths, Wenas said.

When he assumed his post as district chief in Wamena a few
years ago, the majority of people in Tiom subdistrict were unable
to speak Bahasa Indonesia. "Now they have not only become fluent
in Bahasa Indonesia but they have also begun to wear clothes" he
added.

Last week, Wenas, who will soon become Deputy Governor of
North Sulawesi, opened a bridge worth Rp 4.2 billion (US$420,000)
in Tiom.