JAKARTA - Crop failure that has hit eight villages in the district of Suntamon in the Yahukimo region of Papua, has caused starvation among it's residents. The district head of Suntamon, Niko Banjo, has said that the starvation has started four months ago and has cost the lives of 92 people already. "Most victims are children. They can not feed themselves and become more vulnerable to disease like malaria. They also live in remote areas," he said over the telephone.
He also told that it was hard to get medical care because only three out of the eight villages had their own medical station. "People who want to get a treatment are often not strong enough to walk all the way to the nearest medical post. The distance between villages is rather large here and they also have to walk through hilly terrain," he explained.
Niko told that another 2,500 lives were at risk of starvation because of the crop failure. A lack of rain is blamed for the crop failure. Ever since January this year no substantial rain fell in the area. "If there was only normal rainfall, it would be enough for the villagers to get to their gardens, but now there is no rain at all, so they are short on food supplies. All food they consume is produced by themselves in their own gardens."
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JAKARTA - Crop failure that has hit eight villages in the district of Suntamon in the Yahukimo region of Papua, has caused starvation among it's residents. The district head of Suntamon, Niko Banjo, has said that the starvation has started four months ago and has cost the lives of 92 people already. "Most victims are children. They can not feed themselves and become more vulnerable to disease like malaria. They also live in remote areas," he said over the telephone.
