PNG Investigates Sepik Battalion, a Group Ready to War with Indonesia

The Papua New Guinea (PNG) government, through the authorities, is investigating the existence of the Sepik Battalion group. The group of volunteers in military uniforms supports the West Papuan separatist group and declares they are ready to fight against the Indonesian army.

The Sepik Battalion has released a video claiming to defend West Papuan separatist groups for independence from Indonesia.

PNG's Foreign Minister Soroi Eoe said the group's actions were criminal in nature and were being investigated by the authorities.

PNG's Military Commander, Major General Gilbert Toropo, stressed that the volunteer group did not represent PNG as a country.

"Citizens of PNG should not involve themselves with Indonesians and their internal problems," he said.

"This is a criminal element, which contradicts our national stand with our closest neighbor, Indonesia," the general said as quoted by SINDOnews.com from the Post Courier website, Tuesday (11/5/2021).

"We are working with law enforcement agencies to arrest these criminals for forming an illegal force in PNG to challenge Indonesia and its military forces."

Acting (Plt) Deputy Commissioner (operations) Police Donald Yamasombi considers the group of volunteers in military uniforms to be nothing more than a criminal gang.

"Every effort will be made to make it in accordance with the relevant provisions of criminal law," he said.

"Our national sovereignty must be protected by all means as well as our bilateral relations and our international position as a country, Papua New Guinea," he said.

"We cannot be described as a country that allows transnational crime," he added.

"This video (the Sepik Battalion video) itself illustrates the potential of a transnational criminal group - if they are to be recruited and trained domestically to carry out whatever their ambitions are in other states."

The Sepik Battalion group is thought to be in the Sepik area. In the video, the group speaks in English declaring that it is ready to fight against the Indonesian army in West Papua.

The PNG Department of Foreign Affairs insisted that the group's actions were "treasonous".

"This is an act of treason, for whatever reason; there should be no other army apart from the PNG Defense Force," the department said in a statement.

"Furthermore, cross-border subversive actions carried out by citizens of the Republic of Indonesia (Republic of Indonesia) or PNG against these two sovereignties constitute acts of aggression," continued the PNG Department of Foreign Affairs.

"Papua New Guinea has taken steps to investigate alleged acts of illegal army formation and will arrest those suspected of involvement."

SOURCE: https://international.sindonews.com/read/424960/40/png-selidiki-batalion-sepik-kel grup-yang-siap-perang-dengan-indonesia-1620720345/15