West Papuans in mercenaries' sights?

March 5, 1997
Issue 

West Papuans in mercenaries' sights?

@box text intro = PNG Prime Minister Chan has hinted that mercenaries may also be deployed against Free West Papua (OPM) rebels fighting Indonesian occupation of West Papua (Irian Jaya).

Speaking at a press conference in Port Moresby on February 23, he said: "Bougainville is not the only national security situation we have to contend with. On our western border we have 1000 kilometres of some of the most inhospitable terrain on earth to monitor and patrol, a border where there are an increasing number of incursions from the rebels of the OPM into our sovereign territory."

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