Daki: Borders secure

DEFENCE Minister Win Bakri Daki says there are security patrols at the PNG-Indonesia border.
He was reacting to recent concerns by Vanimo-Green MP Belden Namah in Parliament, who claimed that there were no police nor security patrols at the border.
Daki denied that, saying there were a considerable number of soldiers who were stationed at posts in both West Sepik and Western.
“Soldiers from Moem (Barracks) look after what we call the northern part of the border; we have 150 soldiers there,” he said.
Daki said that they (PNGDF) also sent another 150 soldiers to the southern part of the border.
“We have about six or seven people in Daru who oversee food supplies for those soldiers,” he added.
“No one has withdrawn from there.”
Daki said that there were no issues from the border as far as patrolling was concerned as they had about 310 defence men stationed and living along the border.
He said the border was peaceful, especially along the northern half, “it’s more like a family community than a border”.
“People cross in the morning to trade and come back in the afternoon,” he said.
Daki confirmed that there were indeed posts along the border, in Wutung, and that military personnel were stationed there and would observe.
“There’s no problem, we are still there,” he assured.