Most of Indonesian Sailors Lived in Slave
Most of Indonesian Sailors Lived in Slave
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JAKARTA - Hundreds of thousands Indonesian crewmen lived in slave like conditions in waters across the globe.
"We predict there are around 300,000 Indonesian crewmen, who are not officially registered (as sailors)," said Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Susi Pudjiastuti in Jakarta, Thursday (29/9) .
Those unregistered crewmen were enslaved and forced to work hard in the global fishing industry, Susi said, adding that they faced threats of being thrown overboard if they refused to comply.
According her, most of the Indonesian sailors are working in the Bering Sea of the Pacific Ocean and in African waters.
Furthermore, ministry data showed that some 700,000 crewmen were involved in illegal fishing activities across the globe, Susi said, adding that she believed most of them came from Indonesia.
Susi has pledged to eradicate illegal employment or slavery in the fishing sector and has urged private companies to help prevent such practices.
"This is dangerous for (the global image of) Indonesian fisheries. This issue receives worldwide attention (following) the slavery case in Benjina," she said referring to a case of human trafficking and slavery in Benjina of Aru Islands in Maluku last year.
According to a report by the Associated Press, thousands of migrant fishermen, mostly from Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos, were recruited in Thailand and brought to Indonesia to work for now closed fishing company Pusaka Benjina Resources. The fishermen were tortured and locked up in prison-like cells.
"We predict there are around 300,000 Indonesian crewmen, who are not officially registered (as sailors)," said Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Susi Pudjiastuti in Jakarta, Thursday (29/9) .
Those unregistered crewmen were enslaved and forced to work hard in the global fishing industry, Susi said, adding that they faced threats of being thrown overboard if they refused to comply.
According her, most of the Indonesian sailors are working in the Bering Sea of the Pacific Ocean and in African waters.
Furthermore, ministry data showed that some 700,000 crewmen were involved in illegal fishing activities across the globe, Susi said, adding that she believed most of them came from Indonesia.
Susi has pledged to eradicate illegal employment or slavery in the fishing sector and has urged private companies to help prevent such practices.
"This is dangerous for (the global image of) Indonesian fisheries. This issue receives worldwide attention (following) the slavery case in Benjina," she said referring to a case of human trafficking and slavery in Benjina of Aru Islands in Maluku last year.
According to a report by the Associated Press, thousands of migrant fishermen, mostly from Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos, were recruited in Thailand and brought to Indonesia to work for now closed fishing company Pusaka Benjina Resources. The fishermen were tortured and locked up in prison-like cells.
(rnz)
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