Indonesia Prepares Long-Term Solution

KOMPAS/EDNA CAROLINE PATTISINA

Combat troops attend a Naval Combat Response briefing in Natuna on Friday (3/1/2020), led by Joint Defense Area Command (Kogabwilhan) I Rear Admiral Yudo Margono. Five warships participated in this operation in Natuna.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS – The Indonesian government is preparing a long-term solution to tackle the entry of foreign boats, including Chinese ones, into the country’s exclusive economic zone in the North Natuna Sea. Increasing patrols in the region will be followed by amending regulations that often lead to overlapping sea patrols.

More effective security measures are hoped to make Indonesian fishermen safer in the North Natuna Sea exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in Riau Islands. Therefore, Indonesia will enjoy a higher presence in the marine region.

Regarding the commitment to protect Indonesia’s sovereignty in the North Natuna Sea EEZ, President Joko Widodo and his entourage are expected to visit the region this Wednesday (8/1/2020). On Tuesday, relevant government bodies had a meeting in Jakarta to prepare for the visit.

We hope everything is clear this year.

To strengthen marine security, Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Mahfud MD on Tuesday coordinated with seven ministries and state bodies with the marine affairs authorities, including the Navy, the National Police, the Maritime Security Agency (Bakamla), the Transportation Ministry and the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry. Mahfud said that marine security activities often overlapped with one another due to the wealth of interlinked regulations. Currently, there are 24 laws and two government regulations on maritime affairs that may overlap in implementation.

“We hope everything is clear this year. We are considering creating an omnibus law on maritime affairs but we are still discussing if a law or a government regulation will suffice,” Mahfud said.

DOKUMENTASI TNI

An Indonesian Air Force strategic reconnaissance aircraft found that a Chinese fishing boat with a China Coast Guard escort was fishing in Indonesia’s EEZ and continental shelf at latitude 5 degrees north and longitude 109 degrees east.

Policy consistency

University of Indonesia international law professor Hikmahanto Juwana said that in disputes such as in the North Natuna Sea, the government and the people were required to exercise patience. The government must maintain policy consistency.

China has unilaterally claimed right over the North Natuna Sea EEZ that belongs to Indonesia, under its “Nine Dash Line” area that it claims to be the traditional fishing zone for its fishermen.

On Tuesday, Bakamla sent two additional ships from Batam, Riau Islands, to anticipate the presence of Chinese boats. Due to operational issues, Bakamla chief Vice Adm. Achmad Taufiqoerrachman refused to say how many boats had been deployed to monitor the movement of Chinese fishing and coast guard boats in the North Natuna Sea since late December.

Bakamla said it had found two additional Chinese coast guard boats entering the northern side of the North Natuna Sea. Previously, there had been two Chinese coast guard and logistics boats around Natuna waters. Taufiqoerrachman said he could not ascertain whether the two new boats were additional or replacement boats for the two coast guard boats that had been deployed earlier in the area.

KOMPAS/EDNA CAROLINE PATTISINA

Two small Indonesian warships maneuver with Chinese Coast Guard vessels in Indonesian continental waters on Saturday (4/1), as monitored from an Air Force strategic reconnaissance aircraft.

Reject claim

“Legally, we reject their claim but we need to orchestrate an operation and the Foreign Ministry must launch diplomatic actions. Our spirit remains to prevent conflicts through measured actions,” Taufiqoerrachman said in Jakarta.

Indonesian Military commander Air Chief Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto said the military had prepared various facilities in Natuna long before the trespassing into the EEZ by Vietnamese and Chinese boats in late December 2019 and early January 2020. These facilities include a surface navy base, a submarine base, two radar stations, airbase facilities such as a fighter jet hangar, a military hospital, the Army Composite Battalion, the Air Defense Artillery Battalion and the Navy’s marine personnel.

The military’s show of force in the North Natuna Sea and Natuna Island, he said, aimed to strengthen frontier area defense, security and action on the EEZ and territorial sea violations.