Indonesia condemns abduction of pair in PNG

The Indonesian government has condemned the abduction of two Indonesian citizens in the area bordering Papua province and Papua New Guinea.

The Indonesian Foreign Minister, Retno Marsudi says the government is trying to free the hostages, who the Antara news agency reports were kidnapped by villagers from Skoutio village in PNG's West Sepik province last Wednesday.

Armed men reportedly ambushed them while they were conducting logging operations in Skopro, within Papua and a three-hour walk from Skoutio village.

Another Indonesian logging worker was reportedly shot during the incident in which the men were captured, but was not taken into detention and is now in hospital in Jayapua.

The region around Indonesia and PNG's common border is heavily forested and illegal logging operations have persisted in this area for years, with local landowner communities largely powerless to stop them.

Meanwhile, the Jakarta Post reports that the Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan has denied that the two Indonesians being held in PNG are spies.

And the National Police chief General Badrodin Haiti has reportedly rejected the offer of trading the two Indonesians with two drugs detainees.

The newspaper also says the Free Papua Organisation OPM is alleged to be responsible for the kidnappings.

While it remains unclear who is detaining the pair, Indonesian media is reporting that the information has been relayed by PNG defence force personnel.

The Indonesian and PNG Governments are working together to negotiate with the villagers on the release of the two men.