Exercise Antap Lo Ol continues onto Lae

Nineteen soldiers from the 2nd Royal Pacific Island Regiment [2RPIR] in Wewak walked into Madang Town early Saturday morning with a baton bearing a message for Prime Minister, James Marape, which should be delivered to him in September in Port Moresby.

The 19 soldiers arrived to a rousing welcome by the Sepik community in Ward 8 of Madang Urban Local Level Government [LLG], who joined them in walking to the Bates Oval in town where they officially handed over the baton to their colleagues from Lae's Igam Barracks.

However, before their entry into Madang Town, they were stopped at the Madang Provincial Headquarters by policemen, who directed them to Governor Ramsey Pariwa to notify him about their presence in Madang.

This practice is said to be part of their military protocols when entering another place.

Governor Pariwa, upon receiving them, issued the Governor's Challenge, which basically questioned why they were in Madang.

Following the challenge, the soldiers were allowed entry into town by the governor.

They proceeded into town, escorted by local police and CS officers, where the Lae team was waiting for them to receive the baton.

The handing over of the baton was witnessed by thousands of people, including school children.

Meanwhile, members of the Engineering Battalion soon after receiving the baton from the 2RPIR soldiers immediately began the 325 kilometres along the Madang/ Ramu Highway and will continue onto the Markham Road for the next 12 days until they reach the Markham Bridge.

At the Markham Bridge, they will hand over the baton to another team, also from Igam; to take on the third phase over the Wau/ Bulolo Track into the Gulf Province.

From Gulf Province, a team from the 1RPIR will relay the baton to Port Moresby.

Commanding Officer of the Engineering Battalion, Lieutenant Colonel Velmore Kagena said all soldiers involved in the exercise will meet up in Port Moreby for the Freedom of Entry march from Laloki into Port Moresby to symbolise the PNG Defence Force Week as part of the Force's celebrations towards the country's 50th Independence Anniversary.

The walk is a re- enactment of the 1975 Exercise Antap Lo Ol, which saw soldiers from Moem Barracks walked from Wewak to Port Moresby with an independence message that they delivered to the then Chief Minister, the Late Grand Chief, Sir Michael Thomas Somare and the then Minister for Foreign Relations, the Late Sir Albert Maori Kiki at the Government Administrative Complex in Waigani.

Lieutenant Colonel Kagena expressed utmost appreciation to the people of Madang, the Governor Ramsey Pariwa, the Acting Provincial Administrator, Daniel Aloi and the Chairman of the Madang Provincial Events Committee, Siegfried Beschel for the great hospitality accorded to them; especially the incredible welcome that was put up for the 2RPIR soldiers by the Sepik community at Bilia Maus Rot and the residents of Madang Town.

The Engineering Battalion was escorted out of town by police and young boys who walked with them all the way to the Gum Bridge where they left them.

Exercise Antap Lo Ol is expected to reach Port Moresby on September 1.