Ulemas to study peat land project

Ulemas to study peat land project

MATARAM, West Nusa Tenggara: The provincial administration
recently dispatched six respected Moslem leaders to the site of
the massive agricultural project in West Kalimantan.

The ulemas will inspect conditions at the government's 1.3
million-hectare of peat moss land project, and are expected to
return with enough evidence to convince their congregations back
home to resettle in West Kalimantan, according to H.L. Azhar
Mudjijo, the head of the provincial office of the Ministry of
Transmigration.

Senior officials of the provincial administration gave the
ulemas, usually called Tuan Guru (Master), a send off in a
ceremony Monday, Antara reported yesterday.

The one million hectares of peat moss, in Kapuas regency, is
being converted into agricultural and resettlement sites to
compensate for the development of housing and industrial areas
and highways in former agricultural areas in Java over the past
10 years.

Converting the areas of peat moss into agricultural land costs
Rp 5 trillion (US$ 2.1 billion).

The project, reportedly the most expensive development
program, is being undertaken because of apprehensions about
rising food demands.

The government hopes to resettle 316 000 farming families to
the area within the next six years; West Nusa Tenggara is
expected to send five percent of the resettlers.

For the current 1997/1998 fiscal year, some 500 people will be
resettled, Mudjijo said, adding that more people have expressed
interest in going.

State Minister of Environment Sarwono Kusumaatmaja said in
Palangka Raya, Central Kalimantan, the projected world food
shortage needed to be seriously addressed. (13)