REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- The Indonesian Traditional Fishermen's Association (KNTI) called on related parties, including the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) to investigate the alleged report of slavery practices in the fishery sector.
"The slavery case of fishermen in Indonesian waters should thoroughly be investigated in order to answer accusations, including Thailand's baseless accusation," KNTI General Chairman M Riza Damanik said here on Sunday.
He said that besides the KKP, the investigation should also involve the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas Ham), the immigration, the military and police apparatuses and societal organizations.
The government, he said, could also issue notifications asking the peoples of ASEAN and the international communities to close the market access for companies involved in the slavery practices.
"The sanctions should include the revocation of their certifications on fishery products which they have received," the KNTI chairman said.
Earlier, Indonesian Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources Susi Pudjiastuti said she was strongly opposed to the slavery of crew members of ships in the fishery sector in the country.
The minister also affirmed that she was committed to taking firm measures against companies found involved in the practice.
"Eradicating illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing has been the focus of our government. Since becoming a minister, I have said that IUU fishing has been used as a means to commit other crimes, including the smuggling of narcotic drugs, human trafficking and slavery," she noted, in connection with her working visit to Pangandaran district in West Java, in a press statement from her office received by Antara on Saturday.
If Indonesia could eradicate IUU fishing, it would contribute to the eradication of other crimes, as well, she pointed out.
"The Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources will freeze the licenses of companies (involved in the crimes) and revoke them if violations of laws are proven," she emphasized.
Pudjiastuti added that her ministry would also coordinate with and ask other law enforcement agencies and government institutions concerned to help enforce the law and maintain the country's sovereignty over its sea territory.
"I hope the police and local governments will ensure the settlement of situations like the Benjina case. I express my appreciation to the Foreign Affairs Ministry, especially the Indonesian ambassador in Bangkok who specially monitored the development of the case in Thailand," she remarked.
The KKP therefore strongly rejected any kind of slavery in the form of exploitation of workers in the maritime and fishery sector as it may be categorized as a crime against humanity.
"The Indonesian ministry of fishery and marine resources rejects slavery in the fishery industry," the director general of processing and marketing of fishery products, Saut Hutagalung, said here Friday.
He made the statement in connection with a recent investigative report from the Associated Press about slavery of crew carried out in Thai ships operated by a company located in Benjina, Maluku province.
The ships conduct fishing in the Indonesian territory for a company in Thailand, he said but he feared the case would hurt Indonesia's reputation.
Such a practice was intolerable as it could be categorized as a crime against humanity and so it clearly hurts the country, the director general said.
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