REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- The government is continuing its investigation into the Pusaka Benjina Resources (PBR) Group case to prevent the same from occurring again, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti said.

"We have set up a special team to investigate the Benjina case. We have to stop the practice of illegal fishing and slavery, which has become an international issue now that we have ratified the International Labor Organization (ILO) convention," the minister said here on Tuesday (7/4).

The government is investigating a report published by the Associated Press of the U. S., according to which PBR, a company based in Benjina on Aru Island in Maluku, an eastern province of Indonesia, has been treating its crew members as slaves.

Based on the findings in the field, the minister added, there were strong indications that the investment status and financial flow of the company directly came from overseas. The company only served as a broker to obtain a fishing permit.

Another discovery indicated that the ship's documents were forged. Its fish processing unit was either not used, or not working, and its catching activities were not reported based on facts.

Moreover, the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) revealed that the state suffered losses from the operations of the company.

It was also learned from findings in the field that there were 1,128 crew members, including 746 Thai citizens, 316 people from Myanmar, 58 from Cambodia, and 8 from Laos.

Of the total, 322 are being held in custody in Tual, which include 256 from Myanmar, 58 from Cambodia, and 8 from Laos. The remaining 746 from Thailand and 60 from Cambodia are still in Benjina.

Learning a lesson from the Benjina case, Indonesia should keep in mind its citizens working in the fishing sector in other countries, Pudjiastuti pointed out.

Earlier, she had affirmed that she was serious about dealing with the issue of PBR practicing slavery on its crew members aboard its fishing vessels.

"We are serious about handling the case of slavery in Benjina. Even though the crew involved does not include our citizens, the incident took place in our country," she stated while attending a Fishermen's Day event on Saturday.

She added that by tackling the Benjina case, the government wishes to bring fishing companies in the country to order.

Based on preliminary results of the investigation, crew members who had been employed for 22 hours a day by the company were from Myanmar and Cambodia.

Furthermore, the minister has issued a regulation banning the shipment of fishery products from PBR, including their export.

She has also ordered for the operations of all fishing vessels belonging to the firm to be stopped in connection with the slavery issue.

Several international media outlets, such as the Associated Press of the U. S., reported the slavery of crew members of boats employed by the company that conducted fishing activities in Indonesia.

In addition, the International Organization for Migration believes that the number of fishermen forced into slavery reaches 4,000. They are reportedly forced to work as slaves by a Thai captain.

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