Border market to be opened

JAYAPURA, Irian Jaya: Indonesia and Papua New Guinea (PNG) have agreed to open a new market for citizens living in the countries' border area to replace the traditional "Sunday market" in Wutung village, PNG.

Moses Poi, PNG's border liaison officer, was quoted by Antara as saying Friday that the decision to do away with the "Sunday market" -- which has evolved into a type of black market -- was taken during a border liaison meeting in Madang, PNG, earlier this month.

The Sunday market, located some three kilometers from the Indonesia-PNG border, was closed down by local police because of the illegal activities taking place.

The new market will be located in Skouw village, Jayapura, some nine kilometers from the border, according to Indonesian border liaison official Alex Erubun.

The market will be inaugurated this month but will start operating in January, according to Antara.

Residents will need their border-crossing identification cards -- red for Indonesians and yellow for Papuans -- to visit the market.

Another Antara dispatch from Madang said that Indonesia will no longer try to persuade Irian Jaya border crossers, currently living in PNG, to return.

Brig. Gen. Basyir Bachtiar, who leads the Indonesian delegation to the Indonesian-PNG Border Liaison Meeting, said the border crossers now living in PNG's East Awin Camp who did not intend to return to their native villages would, from now on, have to fend for themselves.

It was up to the PNG government whether they would be officially accepted as PNG citizens, Basyir said.

However, Indonesia's doors remained open if they wished to return, he said.

Antara did not say how many Indonesians have crossed the border and now live in PNG. (swe)