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Officers of the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) who are involved in the Operation Bougainville Referendum have warned four Bougainvilleans for illegal fishing inside Solomon Island side of the common in the Shortland Islands on 21 November 2019.
Police Forward Command Post (PFCP) Commander, Kulitannai Chief Superintendent Mathias Lenialu says, “Four people from South Bougainville illegally entered Solomon Islands side of the common border and were fishing at Masamasa Island in Shortland Islands.”
“My officers warned the Bougainvilleans and advised them to pass the same message to others who use to come and do illegal fishing at the Masamasa Islands.”
“I would like to advise our wantoks from Bougainville who illegally erect small leaf huts on Masamasa Islands while they are fishing to stop doing this as this is illegal.”
Mr Lenialu says, ““RSIPF is providing support for Immigration and Customs to ensure that the traditional border crossing process is peaceful and lawfully administered. We need that to happen on the other side of the border before any crossing happens.”
“My officers advised the four Bougainvilleans that if you like to enter Solomon Islands territory under the traditional Border Crossing you can do this at Taro in Choiseul Province, Kariki, Kulitanai, Harapa and Mono in the Western Province. These are the designated Ports of Entry and Exit under Section 5 of Immigration Act 2012 for the Solomon Islands-Papua New Guinea (SI-PNG) traditional border crossing.”
“This will help you with what activities you like to do here in the Solomon Islands, more especially in the Shortland Islands. The traditional Border Crossing is under the revised basic border treaties signed between Solomon Islands and Independent State of Papua New Guinea in August 2019 in Gizo Western Province to manage safe and secure movement for border communities,” Chief Superintendent Lenialu emphasises.
– RSIPF Media
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