Torres Strait possible flashpoint in relations
31 March 2010
AN AUSTRALIAN Senate committee has begun to investigate illegal
activities across the permeable Torres Strait border between
PNG Attitude recently focussed on this issue in articles by Phil Fitzpatrick and other correspondents. The matter was subsequently brought to the attention of Australian politicians.
Amongst sensational evidence, the committee was told that traditional
PNG nationals were accused of crossing into
They were accused of being involved in gun-running and drug smuggling – mostly cannabis.
And, to add insult to injury, it was alleged they
unlawfully occupied 30 of 100 new homes just built on
The claims were made before the Senate inquiry session on
Torres Shire mayor, Pedero Stephen, told the inquiry that police
response was too slow because of travel times from their base on
Source: ‘Abduction claim surfaces at inquiry’
by Yehiura Hriehwazi, The National. Spotter: Paul Oates
The sooner PNG and Australian authorities come up with an effective monitoring, surveillance and enforcement program fully activated and consistently operated in a joint cooperative way the better. This is a potential risk to future good relations between our two countries and their DFAT, and its law enforcement agencies better get cracking by working well together now and in future.
Posted by: Reginald Renagi | 23 April 2010 at 06:21 PM