TheJakartaPost

Please Update your browser

Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.

Jakarta Post

When the fish row turns diplomatic

Gunboat diplomacy: Navy sailors observe a Vietnamese fishing vessel after it was destroyed for illegally operating in Indonesian waters, in Riau Islands, in December

Bagus BT Saragih (The Jakarta Post)
Jakarta
Sun, January 25, 2015

Share This Article

Change Size

When the fish row turns diplomatic Gunboat diplomacy: Navy sailors observe a Vietnamese fishing vessel after it was destroyed for illegally operating in Indonesian waters, in Riau Islands, in December. (Tribun Batam/Argianto Da Nugroho) (Tribun Batam/Argianto Da Nugroho)

G

span class="inline inline-none">Gunboat diplomacy: Navy sailors observe a Vietnamese fishing vessel after it was destroyed for illegally operating in Indonesian waters, in Riau Islands, in December. (Tribun Batam/Argianto Da Nugroho)

While the governments of the nations whose fishing boats have been destroyed by Indonesian authorities have largely been silent, overseas media have not, leading to growing unpleasant sentiment against Jakarta.

While analysts say that diplomatic fallout from the anti-poaching policies of President Joko '€œJokowi'€ Widodo is inevitable, the President and his officials repeatedly tried to refute the concern.

'€œASEAN will remain a priority for Indonesia'€™s foreign policy,'€ Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi said recently, referring to the Southeast Asian regional grouping whose members, including Indonesia and the poaching nations, prize dialog and consensus.

Outside ASEAN, China is the biggest source of boat'€™s illicitly operating in Indonesian territory, while Taiwan also often sends medium-to-large fishing vessels.

Thailand'€™s Bangkok Post ran an editorial early in January with a provocative title: '€œIndonesia is wrong,'€ earning that Jakarta'€™s hard-line policy was '€œundiplomatic and frankly unfriendly toward its ASEAN partners and neighbors'€.

Harsh criticism also came from Malaysian expert Farish A. Noor in the New Straits Times. '€œThe disturbing thing about the burning of the Vietnamese boats is that it gives the impression that Indonesia is the only victim, when we all know this is not true.'€

'€œIf every country in ASEAN followed the same path '€” pandering to populism, burning the ships of neighbors, etc. '€” then where will ASEAN head to?'€ Farish said.

Meanwhile, Taiwan'€™s The China Post asked Indonesia to refrain from firing on boats illegally operating in Indonesian waters following reports that the Indonesian Navy was hunting four Taiwanese vessels.

Maritime and Fisheries Affairs Minister Susi Pudjiastuti has signaled her suspicions about Thailand, given that the nation exports far more fisheries products than Indonesia despite a smaller maritime territory.

Thailand'€™s fisheries exports in 2013 reached US$11 billion, according to the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin), as opposed to Indonesia'€™s $4.19 billion.

But the Bangkok Post'€™s editorial, which garnered many negative online comments, acknowledged that '€œIn Thailand, almost as many foreign fishing vessels violate our waters as Thai boats fish illegally in other countries'€™ waters.'€

Some might say the editorial implicitly affirmed allegations that Thai fish exports originated from Indonesian waters.

Jakarta was also called insensitive after authorities blew up Vietnamese and Thai boats captured in Indonesian waters close to the already-tense South China Sea '€” perhaps mirroring China'€™s tough talk in the area.

Malaysia, Vietnam and the Philippines, which are among the poachers, are also claimants in the South China Sea territorial disputes.

Navy Western Fleet commander Rear Admiral Widodo, however, said that the location was picked because the poacher boats were captured nearby.

When it comes to Chinese poachers, however, Indonesian authorities have not taken stern action.

The government has not destroyed several Chinese fishing vessels captured in the Arafura Sea, in the southern waters of West Papua, citing an ongoing trial.

'€œWe are taking the persuasive route,'€ Susi said, adding that she had made a formal appeal to Retno to talk to her Chinese counterpart about the poachers.

Lawmaker Ahmad Hanafi Rais criticized the government'€™s lenient stance against the Chinese vessels.

'€œMinister Susi was tough against Vietnam and Thailand but then weak when it comes to China and Japan,'€ he said. '€œWhat happened?'€

Susi is confident that the anti-poaching campaign would not lead to the international hostilities or harm regional stability.

'€œWe have established persuasive coordination with those nations because this is not only about stealing fish, but also sovereignty as well as environmental sustainability,'€ she said.

Days after Indonesia'€™s new Cabinet was formed, Susi spoke to the ambassadors of Malaysia, Vietnam, China, Thailand, the Philippines and Australia to explain the anti-poaching policy

According to Foreign Ministry Director General for Multilateral Affairs Hasan Kleib, Indonesia would push to criminalize illegal fishing during the Crime Congress in Doha, Qatar, in April.

The ministry is also drafting a communiqué on '€œVoluntary International Cooperation to Combat Illegal, Unregulated and Unreported (IUU) Fishing and to Promote Sustainable Fisheries Governance'€ for Indonesia and friendly countries.

Hikmahanto Juwana, an international law expert from the University of Indonesia, said the anti-poaching policy would not worsen bilateral relations.

'€œThe illicit practices took place in Indonesian territory, hence the authorities had every right to enforce the law adopted by Indonesia,'€ Hikmahanto said. '€œThere is no nation in the world which justifies its citizens committing legal violations in other nations,'€ he said.

{

Your Opinion Matters

Share your experiences, suggestions, and any issues you've encountered on The Jakarta Post. We're here to listen.

Enter at least 30 characters
0 / 30

Thank You

Thank you for sharing your thoughts. We appreciate your feedback.