Head office of Kodam XVII Cenderawasih (IST)
Jayapura, 5/5 (Jubi) – The military in Papua has denied reports in Papua New Guinea that a shooting incident had occurred between Indonesian soldiers and the border patrol guard of PNG.
Cenderawasih garrison spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Rikas Hidayatullah said it was not true that Indonesian soldiers shot their PNG counterparts. He said Indonesian soldiers even allowed PNG troops to cross the ‘no man’s land’ area.
“The news on the shooting of the PNG soldier at the border area was not true. The fact is the Indonesian soldiers encountered the PNG soldiers in no man’s land area and allowed them to pass by,” he said to Jubi on Monday night (5/5).
He further asked reporters to be more sensitive in reporting issues at the border of Indonesia and PNG and seek confirmation to his department.
“It’s important to maintain the situation at the Border area of the Republic of Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. So we should equally verify the validity of information,” he said.
Earlier, as reported by tabloidjubi.com to quote the report of the Post Courier, the Ministry of the Foreign Affairs and Immigration of PNG, Rimbink Pato called the Indonesian Ambassador for PNG, Andrias Sitepu to give a note of complaint by PNG on the shooting incident that occurred on 19 April in the morning. (Jubi/Victor Mambor/rom)
