PNG inmates in Doyo transferred

By CLIFFORD FAIPARIK
SOME Papua New Guinean prisoners serving terms in the Doyo narcotic prison for smuggling drugs have been transferred to another prison further into Indonesia, PNG consular-general Colonel Jeffrey Wiri says.
Wiri said that prisoners – Indonesians and PNG prisoners – were transferred out of Papua Province on last Wednesday to another prison in Makassar in Sulawesi Province which was far from his office and the prisoners’ relatives in PNG”.
Sources said five male PNG prisoners and eight male Indonesians were transferred out from Doyo.
“Four girls were also taken and among these girls is a PNG woman,” the sources said.
Wiri said the prison officers said that they were transferred on a rehabilitation programme to Makassar.
“My concern is that my office will not be able to monitor how they will be treated in those prisons or if they are sick,” Wiri said.
“Under the Geneva Convention, we help to make sure they have good medical treatment, they don’t get harsh treatment from the prison officials. We have done everything stipulated under the Geneva Convention on consular services to inmates in Doyo prison. We don’t provide legal assistance but we do visit them and check their health conditions and other human needs.
“My office also provides items such as tooth brushes and tooth pastes.
“During (our) visit in March, we supplied them with K15,000 worth of toiletries and medicines.”
Wiri said he had made awareness on Vanimo NBC radio in West Sepik for youths not to get involved in drug smuggling.
“In Indonesia, drugs are a big issue. Indonesia does not tolerate drugs and we were lucky not to be slammed with serious penalties like death penalty. I have also warned them on the NBC radio that if they are not careful they will end up in other notorious jail in Bali or Java that are so far away from Papua Province.”
Wiri said that PNG prisoners in Doyo prison was dominated by people from West Sepik who were caught in Jayapura smuggling marijuana.