MORE INDONESIAN CITIZENS RETURN HOME FROM PNG

Jakarta, Nov 8 (ANTARA) - The head of the Boven Digoel district in the Indonesian eastern province of Papua, Yusak Yaluwo, said here on Saturday that more and more Indonesian citizens who had so far lived in Papua New Guinea were returning home following development and education progress in Papua.

"The increasingly unfavourable situation in the neigboring country and the fast development in various fields, particularly education, in Papua made them want to return home," he said by telephone.

His statement came following the surrender of separatist Free Papua Organization leader John Imko in Tanah Merah, the capital of Boven Digoel, on Tuesday.

The chairman of the district's legislative assembly, Paulus Wanggimop, the chief of the 1711 Boven Digoel military region, Lt Col Basuki Purwosusanto witnessed John Imko's declaration to return to the country's fold at a ceremony also attended by Imko's wife and children.

Yusak Yaluwo said the government had already called on Indonesian citizens in PNG to return home. "We will be glad to receive them and will guarantee their livelihood and give an opportunity for their children to study in schools here," he said.

He said until now there were still around 15,000 Indonesian citizens from Digoel living in PNG.