Minister hands 380 houses to former separatist Papua members

The minister presented the buildings and facilities to Pegnungan Bintang District Chief Wellington Wenda and Lani Jaya District Chief Ir Pihadi in Timika.

In remarks on the occasion, Bakrie said the government`s policy on settling the problem of former TPN-OPM members was caring for their social welfare.

To implement this policy, the government needed a lot of funds which could not come from the State Budget but had to be drawn from a "special account," he said.

Bakrie called on the former TPN-OPM members to tell those of their comrades who were still up in arms in the jungle about the government`s present policy so that they would be persuaded to also stop their armed struggle and return to a normal life under Papua`s special autonomy.

Of the 380 houses, 264 had been built in Pegunungan Bintang district and 125 in Lani Jaya district.(*)