REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAYAPURA -- The Jayapura Elections Supervisory Committee has revealed that polling stations in the Indonesia-Papua New Guinea (PNG) border of Mosso and Skouw areas were moved to safer places for security reasons.
"By relocating the two polling stations, we hope the eligible voters there will be more enthusiastic to cast their votes," the committee's member, Nurhijah, said here Wednesday.
She said the Mosso polling station was moved to an area near a TNI (military) post while the Skouw one was relocated to Muara Tami District to enable the people to do their voting rights without fear.
The security situation in the easternmost province of Indonesia remains fragile. On Wednesday, a clash between Indonesian soldiers and armed separatists erupted in Mulia, the capital of Puncak Jaya District, when people in other parts of Papua Province flocked to polling stations.
Antara learned from the military sources here that the Cendrawasih Military Command's Battalion 751 personnel succeeded in confiscating an AR-15 rifle from the separatists.
On April 5, an exchange of fire between the military personnel and armed rebels also occurred on the Indonesia-Papua New Guinea border area.
An army soldier named Tugino and Jayapura Police Chief Ajunct Senior Commissioner Alfred Papare sustained injuries after being hit by stray bullets.
Following the clash on April 5, Indonesia closed the gate of its border crossing with PNG in Skouw-Wutung area.
In another development, voters living in 37 of 51 subdistricts in Yahukimo District would be able to cast their votes for Indonesia's parliamentary election on April 12 instead of April 9.
Betty Wanane, a member of the Papua election commission, said earlier that the delay was caused by bad weather that had hampered the distribution of election logistics to the district.
Election in other areas was held as scheduled, she added.
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