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Indonesia beefing up disputed Papua border force in bid for minerals

Papua’s disputed border with Papua New Guinea … hunt on for mineral riches. Image: PNG Blogs

By Albert Agua in Waigani

Indonesia is driving towards the Papua New Guinea border because of a recent discovery of huge mineral deposits in the Star Mountain regency just at the back of Tabubil Ok Tedi mine.

“Reportedly, there is gold, copper, coal, and thorium – a safer radioactive chemical than uranium,” says president-director of PT Antam Tato Miraza, who was then Director of Development, reports Pusaka.

“Geological Survey shows its potential is good and promising.”

READ MORE: West Papua Liberation Army behind deadly Nduga attack

The core of the deposit is, however, found in the disputed area of the border between PNG and Indonesia.

The claimed Papua border “shift” – the red zone near Ok Tedi mine. Source: PNG Blogs

Recently, Indonesian troops patrolled to Korkit and surveyed the land just around 40km from Ok Tedi, less than 10km from the border marker in the Korkit village to build another military base.

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The citizens from Korkit village who are PNG citizens are moving into the new Indonesian village.

This is just 20km from the mineral deposit area.

Thorium, a weakly radioactive element that can be used as fuel in a nuclear power reactor, has been discovered in the disputed area and this has been the sole driver for Indonesians to force themselves into the disputed territory.

Also the “explorers” are actually the military carrying out the exploration.

The Indonesians have been transporting mining supplies to the area and the locals are prepared to wage war if the exploration continues under heavy military security.

Wutung border improvements
Meanwhile, major improvements in infrastructure and capacity are planned for the PNG-Papua border at Wutung, reports Loop PNG.

The improvements are planned as part of the PNG government’s West Sepik Special Economic Zone (SEZ).

National Planning Minister Richard Maru and delegates of a fact-finding mission to West Sepik visited the border area last week.

Loop PNG also reports that an international bus service and terminal are planned for the Wutung border post.

Albert Agua is an academic at the University of Papua New Guinea.

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Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz

MIL OSI – Source: Evening Report Arts and Media

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Indonesia, Timor-Leste establish new forum process to settle border disputes

MIL OSI – Source: Evening Report Arts and Media

Headline: Indonesia, Timor-Leste establish new forum process to settle border disputes

Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz

Indonesia and Timor-Leste have agreed to establish a Senior Official Consultation (SOC) forum to formulate the settlement of border disputes.

The agreement was made following a meeting between Coordinating Minister for Political, Security and Legal Affairs Wiranto, Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, and Timor-Leste’s minister of development planning and investment at Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara, on Monday.

“Indonesia and Timor-Leste agreed to form SOC, which is a small group that will discuss the technicalities in the agreement to settle land border disputes in Noel Besi (in the Indonesian province of East Nusa Tenggara) and Citrana (in Timor-Leste).

“The discussion is scheduled on March 10 in Bali,” Wiranto told the media.

He stated that the discussion would be directed to create steps to settle disputes comprehensively and create a bilateral agreement later.

Retno said there are still two unresolved segments on the border between Indonesia and Timor-Leste, which are located between Noel Besi and Citrana and between Bijael Sunan and Oben.

“With Timor-Leste, we have had long negotiations. In view of that and based on goodwill, the two governments finally agreed to set up the SOC to expedite the settlement of the negotiations in the two segments,” she noted.

She said Timor Leste’s Foreign Minister Roberto Soares would be sent to represent Timor-Leste in the SOC, while Indonesia would be represented by the Director-General of Asia Pacific and Africa of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Desra Percaya.

She said that the settlement of the land border disputes would also involve communities in the two countries disputed border areas.

“We have agreed to invite communities in the border areas to share their views, in addition to the government-to-government settlement process,” she added.