ILLEGAL FISHING : INDON FISHERMAN SHOT DEAD

SHOOTING ROCKS PNG INDONESIA RELATIONS

Two of the Indonesian fishing boats now tied up at the Basilisk Naval Patrol Boat base in Port Moresby.

INDONESIA and Papua New Guinea's friendly and strong border relations has been rocked by the shooting death of an Indonesian fishing boat captain in PNG waters.

The incident allegedly happened on the southern border at Merauke last week where the boats were alleged to have been fishing illegally.

Indonesia's Ambassador to PNG Adrianna Supandy has since lodged a strongly worded diplomatic protest with PNG government officials.

Meanwhile, PNG Prime Minister James Marape confirmed an investigation is being conducted into the shooting.

“PNG will be conducting a full investigation into this matter and will inform the nation and Indonesia government too as to what happened,” Mr Marape said.

The fishing vessel was allegedly shot at by a PNG Defence Force Guardian-class patrol boat within the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of PNG.

The fishing vessel escaped back to Merauke with the body of its dead captain while two others were were rounded up and escorted to Port Moresby.

The Australian Government has denied any involvement in the incident and of any recent joint fishing patrols with PNG.

However it's Foreign Minister Ms Penny Wong arrived in Port Moresby yesterday on an unannounced 3 days tour of PNG.

Indonesian ambassador to PNG Adriana Supandy.

The vessel that was shot at has been identified as KMN Calvin 02 with the captain of the vessel also identified by the Indonesian authorities.

Two other vessels detained by the PNGDF were identified as KMN Arsila 77 with a crew of seven and KMN Baraka Paris with a crew of six.

The boats arrived in Port Moresby yesterday and were being processed at the PNGDF Basilisk base.

Ambassador Supandy said the embassy was advised the boats have arrived for prosecution.

But the Indonesian Government is still demanding an official explanation and report on the latter which has not been received since their request for an investigation.

Ambassador Supandy said because of this, the Indonesian Government had summoned PNG officials and office in Jakarta for an immediate investigation into this fatal shooting.

A PNG naval patrol boat donated by the Australian government.

"Considering the strong and excellent bilateral relations between Indonesia and PNG, the Government of the Republic of Indonesia stands ready to proactively cooperate in the due process of law with the Government of the Independent State of Papua New Guinea,” Mr Supandy said.

Last Thursday Indonesia’s Foreign Affairs Ministry summoned the PNG ad interim charge d'Affairs in Jakarta to convey a demand for comprehensively investigating the shooting incident by PNG security forces that killed an Indonesian fisherman.

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs seeks an explanation from the PNG government regarding the shooting incident and presses for a thorough investigation and strict punishment to be applied if procedural violations are found, including the possibility of excessive use of force," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Director of Protection for Indonesian Citizens, Judha Nugraha.

The last such incident of a shooting occurred back in 2006 with the then Deputy PM Don Polye saying at the time that there would be an inquiry into the incident.

In 2006, an Indonesian fisherman was shot with another three injured in the incident.

PNGDF patrol boat donated by Australia.