How has the border with Indonesian Papua created security concerns for Papua New Guinea?

The western border of Papua New Guinea, which abuts Indonesian Papua, presents a significant external security challenge for the nation. This border is largely unmarked and porous, creating several specific security concerns:

• Conflict and Incursions: The Free Papua Movement has long been in conflict with Indonesian armed forces. This instability frequently leads to incursions into Papua New Guinean territory by rebels, refugees, and Indonesian troops pursuing them.1
• Refugee Population: The region has experienced waves of displacement, with thousands of West Papuan refugees seeking shelter in Papua New Guinea over the decades.1
• Smuggling: The porous nature of the border has facilitated the illegal smuggling of firearms from Indonesia into Papua New Guinea.1

While the Papua New Guinea Defence Force maintains small detachments at the border, both nations have generally sought to avoid direct conflict with one another. Nevertheless, nationalist upheavals in Indonesian Papua have occasionally strained diplomatic relations between the two states.1