SECURITY CONDITIONS IN PAPUA IMPROVING: MILY SPOKESMAN

Jakarta, May 11 (ANTARA) - Socio-economic and security conditions in Papua province are now improving after attacks by unidentified armed group on several military posts, Spokesman of the Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI) Headquarters, Rear Marshal Sagom Tamboen said.

"The overall conditions in Papua are now conducive, including in areas bordering with Papua New Guinea," Sagom Tamoen said here on Monday.

Previously, on April 9, 2009, a bomb was found planted in Muara Tami bridge, Skouw village, Muara Tami district, which bordered with Papua New Guinea.

As a result, the check points and border lines between the two countries were closed.

Unidentified armed group has previously launched several attacks on TNI posts, and even on May 7, 2009 the headquarters of the Cendrawasih Regional Military, which oversees Papua, was also attacked.

"We, together with police, are still hunting the attackers, Most of the armed group members ran into the forests," Sagom Tamboen said.

Tamboen said on Sunday that due the increasingly conducive situation, the border checkpoint at Skouw village was resumed on May 5.

For the time being, the border checkpoint was opened from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., he said.

"The measure is designed to ensure that the border security will gradually be restored to normal so that the residents living near the borders can resume their activities as usual," he said.

The border checkpoint at Skouw village, Muara Tami district, Papua province, was closed on April 9 after a bomb planted at the Muara Tami bridge was found.

Under normal conditions, Indonesian nationals can cross the borders to visit the neighboring country for not more than 24 hours by producing their identity cards at the TNI security post and later reporting themselves to the immigration checkpoint at Skouw village.

The border post located some 70 km east of the Papua provincial capital of Jayapura is guarded by a task force from the Wirabuana 725 infantry battalion.