TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Maritime and Fisheries Minster Susi Pudjiastuti said that the human rights violation against Indonesian ship crews must be solved. She added that there are already too many misfortunes experienced by them.
“The most recent example was highlighted by Tempo and Vice President Jusuf Kalla’s visit to Hawaii,” Susi said at her office in Jakarta on Tuesday, January 24, 2017.
Susi revealed that Jusuf Kalla recently visited Hawaii, US, to meet a number of Indonesian ship crews who could not step off their ships. “They can’t step on land because they’re illegal.”
Susi was perplexed by how they could have worked on vessels without ever stepping foot on Hawaiian land. This means that the crews have lived and worked onboard the ship. “Imagine their living facilities, limited water use, and bath,” Susi wondered.
These cases, according to Susi, should be an eye-opener for human rights crimes experienced by Indonesian ship crews.
Susi pointed out that Indonesia is the largest ship crew supplier, either for fishing vessels or cargo ships. Susi realized that she would not be able to handle this situation alone, especially if it happened outside Indonesian waters.
“All countries, such as Australia and the US are helping. This is a major issue,” Susi revealed.
Data from the International Organization for Migration showed that, in the period of 2012-2015, the government had provided assistance for 2,368 Indonesian fishermen involved in illegal, unreported, and unregistered fishing overseas.
Of the total number, 287 were victims of human trafficking. They were taken to regions such as East Asia and South East Asia, South Africa, Middle East, Oceania, Central and Eastern Europe, and South America.
DIKO OCTARA