Joko Praises Minister Susi’s Work on Combating Illegal Fishing

Jakarta Globe, Novy Lumanauw, Apr 07, 2015

A fisherman formerly held in slave-like conditions by a Thai-owned fishing firm in
Benjina, Maluku, shows evidence of abuse. (Antara Foto/Humas Kementerian
Kelautan)

Jakarta. President Joko Widodo on Tuesday expressed support for Maritime and Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti and called on her to continue tackling illegal fishing in Indonesian waters.

Joko was speaking in response to a year-long Associated Press investigation that revealed the use of slave labor by at least one company operating in Benjina in Maluku’s Aru Islands district. A Thai-owned fishing company based in Benjina was recently discovered to have confined and exploited fishermen, mostly from Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos and Thailand, in slavery conditions.

“This is an international issue and I want thorough reporting on it,” Joko said.

Susi said she was disturbed to learn that Pusaka Benjina Resources had been keeping at least 327 slaves in captivity, working under the threat of torture or even death. The ministry has since shut down the company.

The revelation has prompted the ministry to pledge closer monitoring of fishing companies operating throughout Indonesia.

Susi said her office quickly inspected other companies operating in Benjina and found a further 1,185 fishermen living in similar conditions.

The minister said there was evidence other firms in the area were using slave labor — and had been doing so for years.

The director general for monitoring of maritime resources, Asep Burhanuddin, said the ministry had formed a task force with local prosecutors, immigration officials, the Navy and the National Police.

On Friday, days after the story broke, the task force was deployed to Benjina. The workers, some of whom had been enslaved for nine years, were taken to Tual, an island around 100 kilometers west of Aru, from where they were repatriated.

Company officials have been charged with human trafficking and violating the Manpower Law.

Meanwhile, Joko also asked the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK) to monitor the flow of funds to illegal fishing vessels to aid Susi in her crackdown.

“She’s done good work and the ministry needs to keep it up,” Joko said in a discussion about illegal fishing. “All ministries and the PPATK need to continue working together so we can find out everything about illegal fishing,” he added.

“The Maritime and Fisheries Ministry needs this knowledge so that it can act accordingly and based on the facts.”

Related Article:

Scores of Seafood Slaves in Indonesia, Officials Turned Blind Eye: Report