Border villages lack legal status

Border villages lack legal status

JAYAPURA, Irian Jaya: Nine villages on the border of Indonesia
and Papua New Guinea still lack legal status, although both
countries have agreed to make further inquiries.

Suryanto Sriwardjojo, an officer in charge of border affairs
for Irian Jaya, said eight of the villages were located in
Warasmal while the other village was in Marantikin, in the
Jayawijaya regency.

There are 3,000 people in the eight villages in Kiwirok
subdistrict and 95 people, from 25 families, in the Oksibil
subdistrict.

"The nine areas are located in Indonesian territory but their
residents are from the PNG," Suryanto was quoted by Antara as
saying.

The nine villages were found by a team from PT Ingold Mining,
a foreign mining company, conducting a mining survey. After
landing the company helicopter on a river bank, the team met
Indonesian speaking villagers who claimed they were legal PNG
citizens.

The status of the nine villages was discussed at a meeting
between the two sides at Marauw Hotel, Biak Numfor, on July 21 to
July 24.

They agreed to reexamine the status of the villages and the
border area.

The survey of the area will be conducted after the 52nd
Indonesian Independence Anniversary on Aug. 17, 1997.