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Indonesia's Bakamla to command security of Natuna waters
Bakamla is to deal with fishing by foreign vessels in the North Natuna Sea, which directly links to the South China Sea.
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An Indonesian vessel sails in the North Natuna Sea on Jan. 15. Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Mahfud MD took part in the trip to review security in the area. (Antara/M Risyal Hidayat)
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ndonesia has assigned the Maritime Security Agency (Bakamla) to be in charge of security in the North Natuna Sea, in which skirmishes with foreign fishing boats often occur.
The agency is to lead 13 institutions, including the Navy, that currently share authority in the area.
The decision was announced on Friday following a meeting of agencies involved in maritime security at the office of Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Mahfud MD.
Mahfud said the decision was made in response to a recent encroachment of Chinese fishing boats that were escorted by fully armed China Coast Guard vessels.
“They are stealing our fish; they are violating our sovereign rights. That is a threat to our territorial integrity, our territorial power,” he said.
Under an agreement with the other institutions, Bakamla is tasked with surveillance and monitoring of fishing in Natuna waters, an area that Indonesia claims as part of its 200-mile exclusive economic zone, but over which China claims to have some rights, declaring them its traditional fishing grounds.
“This is one of the government's ways to overcome territorial problems and exercise Indonesia's sovereign rights over the management and use of our resources in the exclusive economic zone,” said Bakamla's new chief, Vice Adm. Aan Kurnia, who is a Navy officer.
