RI seafarers to get new biometric IDs

Ridwan Max Sijabat, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Indonesian seamen have hailed the government's ratification of an International Labor Organization convention allowing them shore leave, transit and transfer in transit privileges at destination seaports.

The chairman of Indonesian Seafarers Association (KPI), Hanafi Rustandi, said that by ratifying the 2003 Convention 185 on Seafarers Identity Documents (SIDs), the government would need to issue new biometric SIDs for more than 35,000 Indonesian seafarers working on vessels flying both Indonesian and foreign flags.

The convention requires all ILO member countries to recognize the seafarers' SIDs and let them enter their territories for short shore leaves without visas.

"Certain countries, particularly the United States and Britain, will have no reason to reject our seafarers from stopping over or entering their territories," Hanafi told The Jakarta Post when asked to comment Friday on the ratification.

He said Indonesia moved quickly to ratify the ILO convention, which took effect on Feb. 9, 2005, because the U.S. and Britain had rejected Indonesian seamen entry following the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks in New York and Washington D.C.

"So far, Indonesia is still on the list of 25 countries considered prone to terrorism, which has affected our seamen," he said.

The House of Representatives endorsed the bill on the convention's ratification in a plenary meeting Friday to protect Indonesian seafarers overseas.

Chairwoman of the House's Commission IX for labor and health issues said the ratification not only showed Indonesia's commitment to implementing international labor standards, but also encouraged job seekers to work with shipping companies to reduce unemployment and improve the country's income through remittances from seafarers.

Related to the convention, the ILO approved in March 2004 a biometric verification system that provides a more rigorous response to the need for increased security in the maritime industry.

The new identity document for seafarers allows for the use of a biometric template to turn two fingerprints of a seafarer into an internationally standardized 2-D bar code on the SID.

Transportation Minister Jusman Safii Djamal praised the quick deliberation and ratification of the ILO convention to protect Indonesian workers working in international waters.

"Allowing seafarers to have shore leave at seaports means they can go to hospitals for medical treatment, mail letters to their families back home and report on any piracy and smuggling activities to the authorities," he told the plenary session.

"Manpower and Transmigration Minister Erman Suparno and I will soon meet to coordinate the issuance of SIDs for all Indonesian seafarers."