Boats sent back to Kokopo

Three boats were prevented from entering New Ireland Province from Kokopo, East New Britain, on the 12th of April.

The border has been closed since the state of emergency lockdown.

As of Monday, 6th April, anyone traveling through the Kokopo-Namatanai border is stopped, questioned and directed to return back to Kokopo.

On Good Friday, three boats were refused entry. They were stopped off the coast of Rasirik village, in West Coast Namatanai, by Police.

“Aninit long steit of imejensi, bai mipla ino nap long alawim yupla long kam insait long Namatani,” a police officer on a patrol boat called out through a loudhailer.

“Sapos yu blong Namatanai na yu go long Kokopo em yu mas go bek ken long Kokopo.

“Aninit long SOE, yu nonap long lusim East New Britain or mipla ino nap go long ENB.”

Namatanai District Administrator Neville Tomon says the people are from villages in the Namatanai area who were returning from a church gathering in East New Britain.

The three boats were carrying around 15 passengers each.

They have since returned to Kokopo to wait for the SOE to be lifted.

(The three dinghies that were sent back)

Author: 
Jemimah Sukbat