Government Returns 28 Acehnese Fishermen Freed From Thailand

BANDA ACEH - Aceh Government through the Aceh Government Social Service and Liaison Agency (BPPA) in Jakarta repatriated 28 Acehnese fishermen who had been released by Thai authorities after being arrested in August 2023.

"They are fishermen from East Aceh who sailed using the KM Cahaya Putra 02 ship and KM Salsabila," said Head of BPPA Akkar Arafat as reported by ANTARA, Friday, March 15.

Akkar said the 28 fishermen were released by Thai authorities on March 12, 2024, and arrived in Jakarta on March 14, 2024 via Soekarno Hatta Airport, Tangerang, Banten.

The information was obtained after his party received a letter from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs through the Consulate of the Republic of Indonesia (KRI) Songkhla from Thailand.

"In a letter from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, it was stated that 28 Indonesian citizens from Aceh were sent home after serving their sentences, they flew through Phuket - Singapore-Jakarta on March 14, 2024 after serving a prison sentence after entering waters at the Thai government authorities," he said.

His party coordinated with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Aceh Social Service to repatriate the 28 Acehnese as soon as possible so that the ticket to return to their hometowns could be accommodated.

The Indonesian Consulate General in Songkhla from Thailand is tasked with escorting them to Jakarta only. As for the return from Jakarta-Aceh, the Aceh Government must facilitate it.

"Alhamdulillah, they have taken off, and landed at Kualanamu Airport, North Sumatra, and were immediately picked up by the Head of the Aceh Social Service, Muslem Yacob," he said.

Representing the Aceh Government, Akkar thanked the Indonesian Consulate General in Songkhla, the Directorate for the Protection of Indonesian Citizens at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, BP2MI and a number of parties who helped repatriate Acehnese fishermen.

Previously, two fishing trawlers with dozens of fishermen from Aceh were caught in the navy or coast guard officers in Thailand for allegedly entering the country's maritime territorial limit, in October 2023.

The fishermen came from the East Aceh region, they went to sea on Wednesday (23/8) then used the KM Cahaya Putra ship and KM Salsabila.

Then, the two ships were stopped by Thai authorities in the country's exclusive economic zone, or about 40 nautical miles off the coast of Phuket.