BNPP: TNI-Polri Close Traditional RI-PNG Route To Prevent COVID-19 Surge Due To Omicron

Deputy for Management of BNPP Border Area Potential​​​​ Paulus Waterpauw. (ANTARA/HO-Kemendagri)

JAKARTA - The National Border Management Agency (BNPP) said the TNI-Polri had closed the traditional Indonesia-Papua New Guinea (PNG) border line due to the surge in Omicron.

Deputy for Management of Potential Border Areas at BNPP Paulus Waterpauw said the police and the Pamtas TNI Task Force in Papua Province were deployed to secure the traditional routes used by the community to cross from Indonesia to Papua New Guinea (PNG) and vice versa.

"The police and the Pamtas Task Force will secure traditional routes that will be closed to minimize the spread of COVID-19 cases," he said, quoted by Antara, Tuesday, February 15.

Paulus made a visit to Papua to find out about problems related to the implementation of Presidential Instruction (Inpres) Number 1 of 2021 regarding the Acceleration of Economic Development in State Border Areas in Aruk, Motaain, and Skouw.

In addition, his visit was to continue the appeal of the Minister of Home Affairs (Mendagri) who is also the Head of BNPP Muhammad Tito Karnavian to close traditional routes due to the soaring rate of the spread of COVID-19.

Moreover, he said, currently COVID-19 has the Omicron variant which is proven to be much more infectious than other variants.

The effort to close these traditional routes, he explained, is a concrete step for the government in maintaining the health of border communities. In addition, to minimize the spread of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 in the country's border areas.

"I came to continue the appeal of the Minister of Home Affairs as the Head of BNPP to close traditional routes, especially when the COVID-19 Omicron virus rises," said Paulus.

The former Head of the Intelligence and Security Agency (Kabaintelkam) of the Indonesian National Police said his party had coordinated with the Regional Commander and Kapolda who served in Papua to follow up on the appeal.

"I have coordinated with the Pangdam and Kapolda to secure the traditional routes that are often crossed by PNG passers-by," he said.