Pok confirms incursions

DEFENCE Minister Dr Fabian Pok has revealed that Indonesian soldiers cross the PNG-Indonesian border while pursuing criminals without knowledge of the international marker.
Northern Governor Gary Juffa had queried Pok regarding the build-up of Indonesian soldiers and military posts along the border.
Pok said there were Melanesians living on the other side of the border.
“Sometimes they pass through the border to have access to their gardens in PNG territory. Like wise PNG villagers cross the border to their gardens in Indonesian side,” he said.
“Also non genuine people cross the border into our side. So Indonesian soldiers follow them across the border and when there is an incursion PNG and Indonesian military officials jointly investigate to determine the cause of the incursion.
“The border is isolated and the imaginary border line goes through thick jungle, swamps, rivers and savannah grass land. And there is a so called no man’s land along the border. That’s why some times people unintentionally stray into either country’s territories,” he said.
Pok said Indonesia had about 300 million people and their military personnel  were being deployed to deal with their internal problems.
“Because of their  big population and their  transmigration programme where  people are moving from Island to Island and so forth, they are trying to protect their citizens by deploying their soldiers and are building military border posts along  the border . And I don’t think we should feel threaten of their troops close to the border. Besides we also have put our people (PNG Defence Force soldiers) at Weam (Western Province) and Vanimo (West Sepik) who are patrolling the border,” he said.
He added that PNG was “a lucky country” to be between two powerful and friendly neighbours like Australia and Indonesia. “I have been to both countries many times and met with their defence ministers and top senior military commanders,” Pok said.
“We have a cordial relationship with both of them.”