VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Feb. 22 - The Indonesia-PNG Border Security Task Force's 312/Kala Hitam Infantry Battalion personnel, along with villagers, repaired a rotting wooden bridge in Towe Hitam Village, Towe Sub-district, Keerom District, Papua Province, last week.

Situated near the land border of Indonesia and Papua New Guinea (PNG), the villagers' daily activities depend exceedingly on the bridge, the task force's commander, Lt Col Dedy Ariyanto, noted in a statement received by ANTARA here, Monday.

The decay in the wood of the bridge was on account of aging, according to Ariyanto.

"We always hear the villagers complaining about the bridge's condition while crossing it. Hence, we discussed with several villagers on how we could together repair it," he revealed.

Repairing the wooden bridge is part of the security border task force's community services to ensure safety during the mobility of local residents and goods in the village, he emphasized.

Before working with the Towe Hitam villagers, several members of the border security task force and Keerom police precinct, along with locals, had also repaired a damaged bridge in Arsotami Village.

Local residents had assisted the soldiers and policemen with the repair work, as the bridge was vital for the mobility of people and goods near the Indonesia-PNG land border.

ANTARA reported details on the Indonesia-PNG Border Security Task Force assisting locals in Papua Province through community services, such as voluntary teaching, serving mobile library, and street cleanup programs.

The task force recently initiated a street cleanup program in Mosso Village in Muara Tami Sub-district, Jayapura City. Along with Mosso villagers, several members of the task force cleared out dirt and debris from the village's streets.

The soldiers that partook in the community service were part of the Army Strategic Reserves Command's (Kostrad's) Raider 413 Mechanic Infantry Battalion, the task force's commander, Major Anggun Wuriyanto, stated.

The residents were enthusiastic to partake in the street cleanup program, he remarked.

"We are optimistic that the street cleaning activity would become a routine program to keep Mosso Village clean and healthy," he affirmed.

Wuriyanto then urged the village's youth to lead efforts to keep their village clean, healthy, and secure. (Antaranews)