No plan to send border crossers home

No plan to send border crossers home

JAYAPURA, Irian Jaya: No date has yet been set for the repatriation of the 3,000 Irianese border crossers now in Papua New Guinea (PNG), an Indonesian diplomat was quoted by Antara as saying.

The problem of repatriating border crossers was discussed during the recent meeting of the Joint Border Committee (JBC) in Balikpapan city, East Kalimantan province, deputy consul in Vanimo, capital of PNG's Sandaun province, Odi Yusmanadi, said here on Thursday.

Indonesia and PNG cooperate each year in repatriating their border crossers.

Meanwhile, secretary for Indonesia-PNG border affairs, FX Suryanto Sriwardoyo, said many Irianese cross to the neighboring country to flee from Irian Jaya's security disturbance groups. He said some of them have returned voluntarily.