PNG be on alert - unconfirmed reports: Five Indonesian soldiers reportedly dead after reportedly chased to the border

Papua New Guinea Soldiers patrolling the PNG Indonesia Border




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PNG BE ON ALERT - UNCONFIRMED REPORTS: FIVE INDONESIAN SOLDIERS REPORTEDLY DEAD AFTER REPORTEDLY CHASED TO THE BORDER

We are not afraid to die for our country, anti-corruption activist Lucas Kiap said after learning today that the Indonesian military has reportedly sent tankers and choppers to the Indonesian PNG border after five Indonesian soldiers were reportedly killed.

Nine Indonesian soldiers were reportedly chased to the border and only four of them reportedly made it. It is understood that five Indonesian soldiers have been killed inside PNG territory in Western Province but may have gone missing instead and are still alive.

This latest incident is understood to have occurred following another alleged incident last week Saturday (the story we broke on Thursday) when PNGDF soldiers allegedly burned down Indonesian houses illegally built inside PNG territory.

Prior to this in a separate incident, 5 Indonesian fishermen illegally after highly prized and highly valued sea cucumber, which are protected from being harvested by a moratorium, reportedly went missing in PNG waters after PNGDF soldiers allegedly burned their boat.

According to an exclusive update, at the time from former PNGDF Commander Peter Ilau now the PNG Ambassador to Indonesia, the soldiers said they (the fishermen) were left standing on the beach watching their boat go up in flames.

In recent reports by Papua Daily (English version of Tabloid Jubi) published by West Papua Media (on the 18th & 19th of February), it was announced that the search for the five missing fishermen has been called off. It was further reported by Papua Daily that two sea cucumber catchers told tabloidjubi.com that "they often heard rumors about ten ‘big bosses’ or leaders of the sea cucumber business giving five million rupiah to officers at the Merauke based naval station (Lantamal XI) for every hunting trip."

According to the Papua Daily report:

"Rumor has it that they also give two bags of sea cucumbers to Lantamal XI officers in Torasi Station after returning from each trip. “It is true that we heard rumors about the owners of sea cucumber business depositing five million rupiahs to Lantamal XI Merauke. But we are not sure as we are only the workers,” said one sea cucumber hunter."

Torasi station is understood to be where the Indonesians reportedly built an illegal military base in 2012 - reportedly 2-3 km's inside PNG Territory. We helped break the news on Social Media early last year, at the beginning of January, after former PNGDF Commander Jerry Singirok, Northern Province Governor Gary Juffa and Papua New Guinea Opposition Leader Hon
Belden Norman Namah expressed serious concern about the report of a base and jetty built by Indonesians at Torasi River, also known as the Bensbach, in Western Province.

There were reportedly up to 700 Indonesians at the base at Torasi River at the time. The current number of Indonesians reportedly ilegally inside PNG territory at Torasi River (Bensbach) is currently unknown but is likely to be much higher.

Due to the sensitivity of this latest alleged incident in which five Indonesian soldiers have reportedly been killed, we understand that the Prime Minister Peter O'Neill, the Minister of Defence, Dr Fabian Pok, any leader in government, new Brigadier General Gilbert Toropo, and any of the Defence Force hierarchy will not comment publicly at this stage to any media to either confirm or deny the latest alleged incident.

However attempts were made to independently verify and confirm the latest reports. The silence so far from certain people speaks volumes. A journalist, who established contact with the Manager of the Bensbach Lodge today, advised: "Not true, they were only lost."

The reported deaths of five Indonesian soldiers has still not been independently confirmed. It has not been confirmed exactly how the soldiers were killed and by whom and if in actual fact the soldiers were killed and did not get 'lost' in the jungle.
Illegal incursions by Indonesians into Western Province over the years is not unusual. According to one of the locals, the locals would "bash the indo's and confiscate their belongings".

Whether or not the latest report is true that five Indonesian soldiers have been killed and although we naturally do not want to cause any panic the fact is that people must be informed and be alert to the possibility that the unconfirmed report that "a battle is about to erupt there" at the border in Western Province is a very real possibility.

PNG be on alert!

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