Thousands of WB cows disappear

PALU, Central Sulawesi: At least 2,000 cows, raised by farmers in Poso and Morowali regencies under a World Bank (WB) assistance program, have reportedly disappeared over three years of religious conflict since 1999, an official said on Saturday.

"As of 2003, not a single cow has been found from our field survey," head of the Palu agriculture, plantation and poultry office Abdul Rauf Toramai said.

Abdul Rauf said the 2,000 cows were of 6,500 cows provided by a WB-sponsored program through the ministry of agriculture in 1995 to a number of regencies in the province.

"The cows were distributed to farmers groups under a production sharing scheme, with the central government as the owner," he said.

About 32,000 heads of families were displaced during the sectarian conflict in Poso, which lasted from 1999 to 2002. -- Antara