The growing social problems involving youths in Ulu Belaga's new resettlement longhouses at Asap and Koyan rivers in central Sarawak where a large hydro-dam is being built are worrying their parents and elders.

"The young people, mostly unemployed or who only work irregularly on farms, are quite restive and indulge in drinking and fights, some serious, as had happened recently," Bintulu-based Indigenous People Development Centre (IPDC) head Sem Kiong Angin told malaysiakini today.

According to Sem, the social problems have become so serious that village elders are calling an urgent meeting soon, at which representatives of government departments and agencies will also be present, to try and find a solution.

About 10,000 people from 15 longhouse communities, mainly Kayan, Kenyah, Ukit, Penan and Lahanan, affected by the RM4.5 billion Bakun hydro-dam project, have moved to safer grounds about two hours by road in Asap and Koyan in a major resettlement exercise about four years ago.

They received compensation from the government and were also provided with housing and social amenities and facilities such as a primary school, a dispensary, a police post, sub-district government offices, water supply and electricity.

The resettlement centre comprises many longhouses of between 10 and 30 doors each, built by private contractors for the government which in turn sold them for about RM52,000 each. A unit measures 18' x 40' with a 8' to 10' wide hallway (ruai).

Sem said he had just visited his sister's longhouse, Rumah Kulit, which has been without water supply for sometime and no electricity in many homes because the people have no means to pay power bills.

"Even when there is water, it is yellowish," he said, adding that the Public Works Department is trying to supply water from other sources to the people.

He had also observed that some of the wall planks were decaying, and that the general condition of the longhouses was not getting better.

Sem said the government has allocated each family with three acres, but the farmlands are so far away that, in one case one has to walk 10km from the longhouse, taking about four to five hours.

Nothing to do

The farmers are also shifting the boundaries of their allocated farming lots to expand their sizes, and Sem feared that this might lead to arguments and disputes in the end.

He said because of this and other factors, several families have moved back to their old homes in Batu Kalo and Long Bulan in the upper reaches of Bakun.

During his recent stay in one longhouse, the social activist noticed that many rooms were dark at night and he presumed that the families have moved away either to their old homes or to stay with their children in towns as there is nothing for them to do in the resettlement areas.

"Not only are the young men in the resettlement areas restless leading them to drink and fight among themselves, but also young girls had left for the towns with strangers.

"Some returned pregnant a few months later, adding to socio-economic problems among the resettlement community," Sem said.

However, he acknowledged there are the positive side to Asap and Kuyon - like the facilities and services provided by the government, some of the opportunities created for doing business, and the road that the government has built.

He hoped that the post-resettlement problems, especially socio-economic problems, would be given attention by the authorities as a matter of priority.