Border trouble brews, youth shot

 By ELIAS NANAU

A GROUP of villagers in West Sepik living on the border of Indonesia are worried about getting around in the area following a scuffle between youths and Indonesian soldiers. 

Wutung village councillor in West Sepik Raphael Tungla said  a village youth was shot by Indonesian soldiers at the Wutung border post last Friday.

“The incident was related to drug-smuggling, It was at the border,” Tungla said from Wutung yesterday.

Attempts to get comments from police in Vanimo, border liaison officials and West Sepik Governor Amkat Mai were unsuccessful.

Tungla said an Indonesian soldier was also injured during the confrontation with three Wutung youths.

He said the soldiers had arrested an alleged drug dealer on their side of the border who they had suspected of operating a smuggling business with the three Wutung youths.

Tungla said the soldiers called the three youths to the border on the pretext of meeting their contact.

He said the incident had inflicted fear among the villagers who had to restrict activities, including gardening, fishing and hunting.

The Wutung villagers use land for subsistence gardening 10km into the Indonesian side of the border at Wara Tami (Tami River).

Tungla said people who frequented Indonesian shops there had cut down their trips and were using government officials to do their shopping in safety.

The Wutung villagers are waiting for government officials to sort out the matter with Indonesian officers.