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Border reopened to traditional border crossers
The Indonesia-Papua New Guinea (PNG) border in Skouw-Wutung, just outside Jayapura, Papua, was reopened to traditional border crossers on May 20 after being closed for around three weeks
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T
he Indonesia-Papua New Guinea (PNG) border in Skouw-Wutung, just outside Jayapura, Papua, was reopened to traditional border crossers on May 20 after being closed for around three weeks.
'It was reopened after our consulate general in Vanimo actively lobbied the PNG government in Port Moresby,' said Indonesian consul general in Vanimo, Jahar Gultom, when reached by The Jakarta Post from Jayapura on Tuesday.
PNG previously banned Indonesian traditional border crossers from entering PNG on the grounds that their border crossing cards had expired on March 18.
Indonesian immigration officers in Skouw followed suit by banning traditional border crossers from Papua New Guineans from entering Indonesia.
'We also faced difficulties due to a surge in applications from residents in Vanimo who wished to visit Jayapura to visit sick relatives or attend funerals,' said Jahar.
Regarding the expired border crossing cards, Jahar said that matter would be on the agenda for the meeting between PNG prime minister and President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in Jakarta on June 17.
