Indonesian Embassy In Port Moresby: Apart From Shooting, Papua New Guinea Soldiers Also Arrested And Detained 2 Indonesian Fishing Boats

The body of Sugeng, a crew member from Merauke who died when the fishing boat he was traveling on was shot at by the Papua New Guinea Army. (ANTARA-HO-Personal Document)

JAKARTA - The shooting of a fishing boat from Merauke by the Papua New Guinea Army alias PNGDF killed an Indonesian citizen (WNI). The Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia (KBRI) in Port Moresby regrets the incident.

"We deeply regret the shooting incident that killed a crew member of a fishing boat," said the Indonesian Ambassador to Papua New Guinea (PNG), Andriana Supandi, in Jayapura, Papua, quoted from Antara, Tuesday, August 23.

After receiving this information, Andriana admitted that he had coordinated with the Indonesian Consulate in Vanimo, the Papuan Border and Foreign Cooperation Agency, and the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

He said the Indonesian Embassy in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea had also asked for a response from the country's authorities regarding the incident that killed an Indonesian crew member (ABK).

"We are still waiting for a response from the relevant PNG authorities, because apart from shooting, the security forces also arrested and detained two Indonesian fishing boats," he added.

Previously, the Head of the Papuan Border and Foreign Cooperation Agency, Suzana Wanggai, confirmed that there were reports that Papua New Guinean troops had fired on a fishing boat from Merauke, on Monday, August 22.

Suzanna said the fishing boat from Merauke was fired upon by local soldiers because it entered Papua New Guinea waters.

"It is true that there was a shooting on a fishing boat suspected of illegally fishing in PNG waters, causing the death of a crew member," said Suzana.

He said there were three fishing boats catching fish in Papua New Guinea waters, two were caught by local soldiers, and one boat ran away.

While escaping, the ship was shot and hit one of the crew members named Sugeng