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.