2 Years Closed Due To The Pandemic, PLBN Skouw Jayapura Restrictions On Papua New Guinea Opened

Photo via Antara.

PAPUA - Skouw's Cross-Border Post (PLBN) in Muara Tami, Jayapura, Papua Province has returned to operating to serve the community after two years of closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Head of Immigration Examination Subsection of the Class I Immigration Office of TPI Jayapura, Yulius Liligan, said that the Skouw PLBN has officially opened since Monday, October 24, 2022. However, the full operation will only run after the border is opened.

"Actually, we are officially operating, just waiting for our partner next to the Papua New Guinea border to open first, then return to activities," he said in Jayapura, Papua, Friday, November 4.

According to Yulius, by reopening the border, it is hoped that the people of the two countries can carry out economic activities.

"With the opening of the Wutung post border, the people of Indonesia and PNG can carry out activities in border areas such as markets, hunting, catching fish and others," he said.

He explained that his party hopes that by reopening the country's borders, it can maintain good relations that have been established between the Government of Indonesia and PNG.

"For citizens who want to leave the country through PNG, both Indonesian citizens (WNI) and foreign nationals (WNA) are allowed to pass through the Skouw PLBN," he said.

He added that the Skouw PLBN can be passed using valid documents such as passports and valid visas.

Meanwhile, PLBN administrator Skouw Yan Numberi said that his party appreciated the reopening of the border by PNG after being closed since 2020 due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"With the reopening of the RI-PNG border connecting Skouw (RI)-Wutung (PNG), the people of the two countries can return to crossing it by fulfilling applicable regulations in both countries," he said.

He explained that although the RI-PNG border was closed due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, his party had opened borders several times, especially during the repatriation of Indonesian Migrant Workers (PMI) through Vanimo.

"More than 1,000 people passed through the Skouw PLBN, when the border between the two countries was closed due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic," he said.