Agencies told to pay Indon villagers

By CLIFFORD FAIPARIK
A GOVERNMENT vice-minister has called on the Papua New Guinea and Indonesian border agencies to address the compensation claim by Indonesian villagers living along the Fly River in Western.
Inter-Government Relations vice-minister Joseph Sungi said the villagers had reportedly been affected by the Ok Tedi mine operations.
He said during the Joint Indonesian-PNG border committee meeting in Port Moresby yesterday that the issue had been discussed repeatedly in their joint meetings since 2010 but nothing had been done about it.
The Indonesian communities living along the border were reportedly affected by the pollution in the Fly River system allegedly emanating from the OK Tedi mine sediments.
The river in Western runs 15 kilometres into Indonesian territory before meandering back into the Papua New Guinea side of the border. Sungi also said the Wutung Border complex in West Sepik should be opened quickly.
It was funded by the Asian Development Bank for K90 million and was completed last year but yet to be opened.
Meanwhile, Indonesian Home Affairs director-general for administrative regional affairs Eko Subowo said the Indonesian and PNG border agencies should review the 1993 special arrangement on traditional and customary border crossers.