Dept watches external threats

 By MALUM NALU
FOREIGN Affairs and Immigration Secretary William Dihm (pictured) says his department is closely monitoring possible external threats to the security of the country.
He said this yesterday at the announcement of the establishment of a National Security Joint Task Force to quell increasing internal security threats.
“We are not part of the joint task force,” Dihm, a member of the National Security Advisory Committee said.
“But, as you know, when we receive any information about threats to our people, our leaders and our public assets, it is incumbent upon us to always find out whether there are external linkages working in collaboration with people who are making those kinds of threats against the State of Papua New Guinea.
“We have stepped up this work since early this week when this discussion took place about a joint task force.”
Dihm urged everyone in PNG to be proud of the country.
“Papua New Guinea is a very peace-loving country and peace-loving people we are,” he said.
“This has been demonstrated many times in the past when we have hosted big international events, even the last Pacific Games held in 2015.
“The community, the nation, really came together to give it our best.
“We want to remind everybody that there are important event coming this year like the Women’s World Cup Soccer in November.
“There will be a series of important APEC meetings during the course of 2017.
“There will of course be the national election, and then the big event of APEC in 2018.
“We want to see that this positive culture of being peaceful, of being positive, and coming behind the Government as the people of the nation.”