Resettlement sites become villages

BANDAR LAMPUNG, Lampung: A total of 284 transmigration sites have been converted into 266 villages, the head of the local transmigration office, P. Jogjapratono, said here Saturday.

Antara quoted the official as saying that the change of status proved that transmigration programs have contributed to development of the province.

Lampung has 1,983 villages, 13 percent of which were initially resettlement sites.

The official said that the transmigration program, which started here in 1905 under the Dutch, has helped develop a number of cities, including Metro, Way Abung and Bandar Jaya in Central Lampung, and Tulang Bawang II in North Lampung.

But problems remain, he said, one of which is the high number of forest squatters who have yet to be resettled. More than 86,575 families of farmers are still living in the forests, 5,676 of which live in conservation forests, 26,900 in protected forests, and 51,000 in production forests.

As of today, 71,081 families from around the country have resettled in Lampung. (swe)