Chinese Ship Entering Natuna, Are Our Maritime Defenses Weak?
As reported by Kompas Daily on Friday 3 January 2020, fishermen in Natuna Regency, Riau Islands Province, asked the government to immediately increase the patrol strength of marine guard vessels. The presence of officers in the North Natuna Sea is urgently needed to ward off what fishermen in Natuna Regency call "an invasion of fishing boats from China and Vietnam".
The arrival of fishing vessels escorted by foreign guard ships increases in the North Natuna Sea in December-January, coinciding with the north wind season. During this period, local fishermen do not go to sea because the waves are very high. The inadequate technology of their ships means that Natuna fishermen are unable to cope.
Not long ago, the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs also protested against China regarding the country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs' statement that China routinely patrols the waters north of Natuna.
Beijing claims to have sovereignty over the Spratly Islands, other countries in Southeast Asia also claim sovereignty over these islands, so the surrounding waters, including in northern Natuna, are areas where Chinese fishermen traditionally catch fish.
In an article in the Kompas Daily, January 8 2019, the Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries of the Republic of Indonesia 2001-2004 Rokhmin Dahuri wrote that Natuna waters are a sea area that has not been optimally exploited and has become a place for illegal fishing. Areas that are also considered to include underfishing include the Sulawesi, Banda, Arafura Seas and the waters of West Sumatra.
Therefore, what is needed is to increase the ability of fishermen to be able to utilize these sea areas. In other words, Indonesia must respond to the issue of the presence of fishing vessels escorted by foreign coast guard vessels in a planned manner.
In the short term, the deployment of more ships and improvements to other maritime operations in Natuna are urgently needed. As for the long term, Indonesia needs to focus on carrying out its big task as a maritime country, namely empowering fishermen with adequate ships and technology, in addition to building a large-scale maritime force. This aspect of maritime power development includes not only military assets, but also assets of the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries as well as local fisheries and maritime services.
With large maritime forces and sufficiently empowered fishermen, Indonesia's effective control and physical presence in exclusive economic zones, such as in the North Natuna Sea, can be much more guaranteed. This will perfectly complement RI's efforts in diplomatic channels. natuna laut natuna kekuatan maritim indonesia indonesia china kapal masuk natuna
andriajah