N

ext week’s meeting between the defense ministers of Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines to discuss technical matters on joint sea patrols and how to step up security in regional waters is being touted as vital in the wake of a string of kidnappings of Indonesian sailors by a militant group in the Philippines.

Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu is scheduled to meet with his Malaysian and Philippine counterparts in Kuala Lumpur next Thursday to follow up the trilateral agreement the three neighboring countries made in May to respond to the heightened threat in regional waters; joint patrols were planned during the meeting.

The two latest incidents of Indonesian sailors taken hostage occurred only after the May trilateral declaration, which was a Jakarta initiative. The declaration, however, has yet to set out any specific mechanisms or operational procedures.

The two incidents have also sparked fresh speculation that ransoms were paid to the militant group to secure the releases of Indonesians in the past, particularly as in the latest incident, the captors only took Indonesian sailors as hostages and released Malaysian nationals.

Other than the technicalities of the planned joint patrol, the proposal Indonesia will bring to the upcoming meeting also includes a scheme to have a number of Indonesian Military (TNI) personnel on board coal barges, tugboats and fishing vessels to safeguard the Indonesian crews.

“We will look at how to improve security in the region and what kind of coordination is needed for the safety [of sailors in the waters],” Ryamizard said on Thursday.

An exercise is also needed to prepare for the full launch of the joint patrol, he added.

Rymizard, who has previously argued that joining Philippine military operations to seek the release of Indonesian hostages would be a last resort, revealed that the possibility of Indonesian forces joining the hunt for captors on land would also be discussed.

A total of 24 Indonesian sailors have fallen into Abu Sayyaf’s clutches in four separate incidents since late March, with 10 still held.

The 10 were taken hostage in two separate incidents in late June in the waters of the southern Philippines and last week during fishing activities in Malaysian waters.

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo himself has himself asked why the planned joint patrol has yet to start, Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Luhut Pandjaitan said recently.

Jakarta has insisted it would never negotiate over ransoms, nor bow to any captor’s demands, in order to prevent similar demands or kidnappings from recurring in the future.

According to Indonesian Military (TNI) chief Gen. Gatot Nurmantyo, no ransom was paid by Jakarta to the abductors in the previous accounts, although he has also claimed not to know whether other parties, for instance the companies employing the men, have made such payments.

Vice President Jusuf Kalla has also urged the private employers of Indonesian crewmen taken hostage not to pay any ransoms to captors.

Jakarta is still finalizing the proposal on the technical matters and procedures for the May trilateral declaration to be materialized.

“Four elements are expected to come as a result of [next week’s] discussion: [procedures of] joint maritime patrols, immediate assistance, information and intelligence sharing and the establishment of a focal point of communication for the militaries [of the three countries],” Foreign Ministry spokesman Arrmanatha Nasir said separately on Thursday.

However, as regards joining Philippine military operations to rescue the hostages, Arrmanatha said it would be a last resort, since the matter touches the Philippine constitution.

“We are still considering all possibilities. But the main priority is the safety of the hostages,” he said.

Based on communication with the Philippine authorities on Tuesday, Ryamizard said the Indonesian hostages were in a good condition.

Pending next week’s meeting, Ryamizard said Jakarta was maintaining good communication with the Philippine military, which is still searching for the captors.

Also next week, Ryamizard is to pay a visit to South Kalimantan, where he will remind operators of coal barges supplying the Philippines to use only those routes deemed safe by Jakarta.