Indonesian soldiers guard border

By CLIFFORD FAIPARIK
FOUR hundred and fifty Indonesian soldiers are patrolling the PNG border to provide security for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Leaders’ Summit in November, PNG consular-general Col Jeffrey Wiri says.
Wiri, based in Jayapura, said yesterday that the soldiers from Lampung-based Tri Wira Eka Jaya`s Infantry Battalion in Sumatra Island were at the border since Sunday to provide additional security support along the 800km border.
“They have been deployed since Merauke Sirport in the southern part of the border and Sentani Airport at the north will be used for aircraft parking space for Apec delegations.”
Indonesian ambassador to PNG Ronald Manik has said the airports in the Papua Province would be available to help PNG host the Apec summit.
“As you are all aware, Indonesia has supported PNG to be the host of Apec 2018 and to that end Indonesia has provided some assistance in the forms of conducting capacity-building programmes for the Royal PNG Constabulary, capacity training for protocol staff for the Foreign Affairs Department, assisting of aircraft parking at the airports nearest to PNG, namely Sentani and Merauke airports.”
Apec Authority chief executive Chris Hawkins said that PNG had been in discussions with Australia and Indonesia for aircraft parking space to help take the pressure off Jackson Airport in Port Moresby.