PNG citizens free to travel to Jayapura despite riot

PAPUA New Guineans are free to travel to Jayapura despite reports of rioting by West Papuans in Indonesia, PNG consul general Geoffrey Wiri says.
“Although the rioting is still continuing, generally the situation in Jayapura is very peaceful and is business as usual,” he told The National.
“There is no restriction to cross the PNG-Indonesian border to shop at the Batas Market. They can also continue and commute between the border and Jayapura city.”
Wiri, based in Jayapura, said rioting in Jayapura was over last month’s discriminatory remarks about West Papuans by Javanese in Surabaya. Earlier on, Wiri had warned Papua New Guineans not to go to Jayapura given the violent riots.
But PNG citizens can go to Batas Market just at the border near Wutung village
According to earlier New Zealand media reports, Indonesia had banned foreigners from travelling to West Papua during the protests. Meanwhile, Pacific Islands Forum secretary-general Dame Meg Taylor expressed concern at escalating violence in West Papua.
Dame Meg called for calm and for all parties to uphold human rights to address the root causes of the conflict.