Border crossing still happening
REPORTS reaching this paper last night had it that people on both sides of the border are still crossing illegally despite the State of Public Emergency (SoPE) in Solomon Islands.
This was reported by a local intel source from the Western Border.
“As far as we know, I can confirm that there are cross border activities happening between Solomon Island and Papua New Guinea citizens on Bougainville.
“These are all recent happenings particularly over the festive season and last week,” the source claimed.
The source told this paper that Solomon Islanders living at the common border knew the water well and even all points of entry and hence able to evade Police detection.
“Sometimes these cross-border activities happen without our police interference and they pose threat to our communities in the Western and Choiseul provinces,” the source said.
Just recently another source spoke to this paper from the border saying that they have provided some very useful information and co-ordinates to the police manning the border.
“Unfortunately, the police took no action,” the source said.
The source further questioned the capability and capacity of our police force that manned the Western border.
“To be honest, we do not really know our police’s rule of engagement or mission here because the illegal crossing is still happening,” the source said.
Meanwhile, Solomon Star understands that last year Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare and the Police Commissioner called for respect to SI-PNG border restrictions.
He also warned that anyone that aids anyone from the other side whether citizen or not to cross into our side of the border will face the full force of the law.
It was also understood that Supervising Assistant Commissioner (AC) National Capital and Crime Prevention, Chief Superintendent Alfred Uiga last year called people from Shortland Islands, Choiseul, and Malaita Out Islands to observe this order.
He appealed to the people on the Western border region to report to the rightful authorities of any sighting of any vessels at the borders.
Just recently Sogavare said a combined RSIPF, Health, NDMO operation was deployed to the Malaita Outer Islands following an illegal crossing by four individuals from the Tasman Island to Pelau in the last week of December 2020.
By ANDREW FANASIA
Newsroom, Honiara
