The Indonesian Ambassador Replies
p. 33 · Read in the full issue
WRITING in the Papua New Guinea Post-Courier of May 24 this year, journalist Pa trick Levo reported that “The Indo nesian Embassy in Port Moresby denied any knowledge of a disease that is reportedly taking thousands of lives in West Irian.
“And Ambassador Bayuf Sumitro said he did not consider a report on the disease important enough to pass on to his government.
“Mr Sumitro said yesterday: T have never heard of that kind of disease, I tell you frankly, “’lt is impossible for the Indone sian Army to launch such a thing. It is impossible and it has not happened.’
“Dr Hyndman’s allegations of de liberate introductions of infected pigs, first published in Cultural Survival , were brushed aside by the Ambassador who asked: ’When did this reported genocide happen?’
“PNG Health Secretary Dr Quin ton Reilly has confirmed that the Na tional Government is aware of the problem and had kept a stringent check on animals and humans coming across the PNG-Indonesia border.
“Dr Reilly denied there were any confirmed cases in PNG despite a statement by another scientist, lan Fraser-Stuart, that there were 12 cases of the disease in the Western Province” □