Thousands still squat in forests

KUPANG, East Nusa Tenggara: A transmigration official has promised that his office will try to resettle 6,835 families of slash-and-burn farmers living inside the province's forests, threatening the their environment.

Antara quoted Tigor Sinaga, the head of the provincial office of the Ministry of Transmigration, as saying here Thursday that 16,913 other families were squatting on the forests' fringes.

His office is launching a campaign to encourage the squatters to move to Sumatra, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Irian Jaya and other provinces.

The office has promised to give families which transmigrate voluntarily a house, clean water, land and seeds.

About 10,000 families have moved to other provinces since the transmigration project began in 1984. (swe)