Indon troops cross border

By SHEILA MALKEN
INDONESIAN troops have crossed the border into the country allegedly looking in five lost fishermen, Papua New Guinea Defence Force commander, Brigadier-General Gilbert Toropo says.
Toropo said there were State processes to follow in such cases.
He said the Indonesian soldiers should have reported to their Department of Foreign Affairs so that it could be reported to the PNG foreign affairs.
“We have sent in a verification team to confirm those allegedly lost but there were no reports of them being lost,” he said.
Toropo said there was no one to confirm if the lost fishermen were in PNG waters at the time of their disappearance.
He a report from the verification team had been channelled through the foreign affairs department and he was waiting for a government response to the illegal entry by the Indonesian military into PNG territory. “PNGDF soldiers were patrolling the border when they met up with a boat loaded with 10 passengers so they gave chase, and caught up with them and then found out that these men were illegally fishing in PNG waters,” Toropo said.
He said the soldiers held them up and burned their boat, and told the fishermen to walk back along the coast of Western Province.
“They were actually 15-20 kilometres inside PNG territory illegally,” Toropo said.
Five were reportedly seen on the PNG border side.
“After six days Indonesian troops came into PNG territory, about 40- 50km, in search of those missing.”
Toropo said the proper approach was to go through the Department of Foreign Affairs, which could have sent a diplomatic note to the PNG Government.
Toropo said there was no destruction to property in the village the Indonesian troops entered as they had been looking for a boat operator.