The Hindu : International : Jungle woman's progress

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jan 26, 2007
ePaper


<SCRIPT language='JavaScript1.1' SRC="http://ad.doubleclick.net/adj/N4322.hinduonline/B2155503.3;abr=!ie;sz=468x60;ord=[timestamp]?"> </SCRIPT> <NOSCRIPT> <A HREF="http://ad.doubleclick.net/jump/N4322.hinduonline/B2155503.3;abr=!ie4;abr=!ie5;sz=468x60;ord=[timestamp]?"> <IMG SRC="http://ad.doubleclick.net/ad/N4322.hinduonline/B2155503.3;abr=!ie4;abr=!ie5;sz=468x60;ord=[timestamp]?" BORDER=0 WIDTH=468 HEIGHT=60 ALT="Click Here"></A> </NOSCRIPT>

International

International

Jungle woman's progress

PHNOM PENH: A woman who emerged earlier this month from a Cambodian jungle, unclothed and unable to speak, is becoming more relaxed around people and is trying to communicate, but no one can understand her, a Spanish psychologist said on Thursday.

Cambodia's "jungle woman," believed to be 27-year-old Rochom P'ngieng, was intimidated by the media frenzy after she stepped from the forest in northeastern Cambodia on January 13, for what may have been the first time in nearly two decades.

"She was a little lost," said Hector Rifa, a doctor of psychology from Spain's University of Oviedo who spent two days evaluating the woman in the remote village of Oyadao. "It was quite shocking when there were many journalists and photographers around."

A village policeman and his family claim that the woman is their long-lost daughter, Rochom P'ngieng, who disappeared in 1988 while tending water buffalo. They say a scar on the woman's right arm matches one that their missing daughter had.

After time away from the spotlight, "she felt more relaxed and more into the family," Dr. Rifa said, adding that the woman tried to utter some "words" but they were incomprehensible. "This is slow progress," he said. "She's recovering from something but we don't know from what."

Village residents began calling her "jungle woman" after she reportedly emerged from the forest walking like a monkey.

With no other evidence about her identity, however, others have speculated that the woman may have a history of mental troubles and simply became lost in the jungle much more recently.

Further evaluation

Dr. Rifa has been working with indigenous people in Rattanakiri province, where the woman's village is located, over the past four years for the Spain-based group Psychologists Without Borders. He left Wednesday for the capital, Phnom Penh, but plans to return to the woman's village for further evaluation.

He said on Tuesday he thought the woman's behaviour showed she was having difficulty adapting to normal life, as would be expected if she had been lost in the jungle for an extended period of time. — AP

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

International