PNG military shoot Papuan fishermen, one killed

The Vice Governor of Papua province, Alek Hesegem, said the defense force of neighbouring Papua New Guinea should have abided by the human rights principles so that a shooting incident that had killed an Indonesian fisherman, would not have happened. "There are universal laws which must be respected by all countries, including PNG, in dealing with poaching," Papua Vice Governor Alek Hesegem told Antara in Jayapura.

The PNG security personnel should have arrested the Indonesian fishermen, processed them legally for illegal fishing on PNG waters, and reported the case to the Indonesian Consulate in PNG, he said.

The Papua authorities have asked the PNG government to return the body of the shot Indonesian fisherman. Papua wanted to maintain good ties with PNG, and the return of the body would be at the Papua administration`s expenses, he said.

PNG soldiers shot at Indonesian poachers on PNG waters on 8 August killing one fisherman andwounded two others, while seven others were unharmed and currently being detained in Vanimo, PNG. The 10 men, residents of the Dok V area in Jayapura, left Papua on the boat last Monday.

Papuans and PNG meet for border discussions

Some 100 delegates from Indonesia`s Province of Papua and Papua New Guinea`s Western and Sandaun Districts will attend the Border Liaison Meeting (BLM) in Pontianak, West Kalimantan from 28 to 30 August 2006. The head of the Border Areas Development Preparation Agency (BP2KKP), Nyoman Sudana told Antara that the BLM is a routine meeting between the Papua Province and PNG to step up cooperation, especially in the social and economic sectors. The upcoming meeting is also related to a plan to inaugurate a border crossing post in Skow, Jayapura.

West Kalimantan has been chosen as venue of the meeting as Entikong, the first border crossing gate in Indonesia also located in this province, he said. Areas in Papua province which are located adjacent to Papua New Guinea, are Merauke regency, which shares the borderline with PNG`s Western district, and Jayapura municipality and Kerom regency, which share the borderline with PNG`s Sandaun district.

The Papuan delegation to the BLM will be headed by Papua Deputy Governor Alex Hesegem SE, and the PNG delegation by Samuel Pulup. The delegation of the Indonesian central government will be led by Yuri Thamrin of the Foreign Ministry, who will preside over the meeting.