Tribesmen to be 'civilized'

SAMARINDA, East Kalimantan: About 6,000 families from isolated tribes have yet to be "developed" and introduced to civilization, Antara reported.

Benny L. Tumbuan from the local office of the Ministry of Social Services said most of the tribesmen are still living in poor conditions in some of the province's remotest areas. The government plans this year to resettle some 150 families in the regencies of Bulungan and Kutai.

One of the greatest obstacles to improving the conditions of the nomadic tribes is a shortage of social workers, Benny said. There are only 39 social workers for the province's 39 isolated areas, all of whom act as teachers as well. (swe)