Tribespeople found starving

GORONTALO, N. Sulawesi: Villagers found yesterday nine starving isolated Palahi tribespeople who came down from Boliohuto mountain, where they live, to the nearby Ilangata village in search of food.

The head of the local social services office, Sudin Ma'aruf, told Antara that the names of the nine tribespeople found by the Ilangata villagers were Halima, who claimed to be 115 years old, Manio, 55, Janio 45, Hasuna, 42, Halimu, 25, Katili, 22, Laiya, 15, Babuta, 10, and Yanihulu, 3.

The group are currently staying at the local social services office where they will be taught about civilization, Sudin said.

Village chief Cun Lagarutu said it was the second time in the past two months that his village had been visited by isolated tribespeople. The first visit was by seven people.

One of the tribespeople, Halima, said he left for the jungle in about 1890 from his then diarrhea-stricken village to escape the Dutch colonials.

The group believed the country was still under Dutch rule. (aan)