Jakarta, Jubi – Indonesian soldiers have found boundary markers on the border between Papua and Papua New Guinea, the military said.
Indonesian Military spokesperson Colonel Czi Berlin G in Jakarta told reporters on Thursday (25/2/2016), in addition to secure the border area at North sector located between Keerom and Pegunungan Bintang regencies, the members of Infantry Battalion 406 are responsible to control the markers along the Indonesian-PNG boundary, from MM 4.3 to 7.2.
“Of those markers, after carrying patrol they found MM 4.3, MM 4.4, MM 4.5 and MM 6.3 while the rest has not yet checked,” said Berlin.
He further explained in doing their task, Infantry Battalion 406/Candra Kusuma task force led by the First Lieutenant Infantry Mustamin who brought 12 personnel from Batom Post and 6 Batom villagers heading to Point MM 6.1 by long boat.
“Because of the long distances to reach each points, soldiers could take two or three days on foot and down the river by long boat, the topography was dense forest and vertical reef,” he said.
Soldiers must do patrols considering land, sea or air boundary between two countries is strategic area to be maintained and secured, because it reflects a State’s sovereignty and might triger a conflict of interest between two countries including political and economic interests. Moreover, the area is also prone to border crossers and illegal activities such as smuggling of drugs, firearms and wildlife.
“In Indonesia, we share land borders with 10 neighboring countries, which in developing countries the boundary often becoming a problem leading to tensions between both sides. In accordance to the Law No. 34 of 2004, the Indonesian Military has the main task that one is to protect the State’s soverignety. Therefore, it will hold security iperations in the territory by land, sea and air,” he said. (*/rom)
