The Ministry Of Foreign Affairs Investigates The Case Of Indonesian Crew Members Who Died On A Chinese Ship

Screenshot of MBC's news about Indonesian crew members (YouTube @MBCNews)

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Kemlu) will summon the Chinese ambassador to Indonesia and ask for an explanation regarding the bodies of crew members or crew members from Indonesian citizens who are being dived at sea. The crew died on the ships Long Xin 629 and Long Xin 604, owned by China, which was sailing in New Zealand waters.

This case was first discovered in the media coverage of the South Korean MBC News. In his investigative report, the Indonesian crew members who worked on the ship were not employed in accordance with human rights (HAM).

Director of Protection for Indonesian Citizens and Indonesian Legal Entities (PWNI-BHI) Judha Nugraha said the Indonesian Embassy in Beijing had previously submitted a diplomatic note asking for clarification regarding this case. Not only that, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will also summon a recruitment agency for Indonesian crews about the alleged slavery on the ship.

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and related ministries or agencies have also summoned the manning agency to ensure the fulfillment of the rights of Indonesian crew members. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has also informed the progress of the case with the family," Judha told reporters, Thursday, May 7.

Screenshot of MBC's news about Indonesian crew members (YouTube @MBCNews)

The first case uploaded by MBC television station on YouTube. Which was then conveyed again by the YouTuber from South Korea, namely Jang Hansol to the Indonesian audience.

Through the YouTubenya Korea Reomit channel, Hansol explained the news broadcast by MBC. The man who once lived in Malang, East Java regretted the exploitation of Indonesian crew members while working on a Chinese fishing boat.

In the video, it is stated that MBC got the footage after the ship happened to be docked at the Port of Busan. Hansol explained, apart from the unreasonable working hours, it was also mentioned that one of the crew members had worked for more than one year and died.

Unfortunately for Hansol, the bodies of Indonesian crew members were just dumped into the middle of the sea. Whereas in the letter of agreement received by MBC, it was stated that if there was a crew member an accident and death would occur, the body would be cremated and the ashes would be taken back to Indonesia.

"And Mas Ari disappeared in a place where we don't know the depth," said Hansol, imitating the news conveyed by MBC.

Rules of Carrying the Body

It was said in the MBC News news that there were many work violations that had to be experienced by Indonesian crew members while working on the Chinese-flagged ship. Not only working hours are excessive, but also the process of dissolving corpses which seems as if they were just dumped into the sea.

"In his explanation, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the PRC explained that the ban had been carried out in accordance with international maritime practices to maintain the health of other crew members," he said.

Judha said, Burial at Sea is regulated in the ILO Seafarer's Service Regulation. In the provisions of the ILO, it is stated that the captain of the ship can decide to dispose of the body in conditions such as if the body dies from infectious diseases or the ship does not have facilities to store the bodies so that it can have an impact on health on board.

"In order to ask for additional explanations regarding the reasons for expelling the body (whether it is in accordance with the ILO provisions) and the treatment received by other Indonesian crew members, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will summon the Chinese Ambassador," he said.