TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – The government, especially the Coordinating Minister of Maritime Affairs and Investment, Luhut Binsar Panjaitan, has been instructed to investigate the case of the death of an Indonesian citizen (WNI) in boat when an incident occurred at the Australian border. The request was submitted by Destructive Fishing Watch (DFW) Indonesia.
DFW Indonesia National Coordinator Moh Abdi Suhufan said the report of the incident in the area was received by the National Center for Fishermen run by DFW Indonesia on Monday, August 22, 2022. This incident was related to the prosecution of an Indonesian fishing vessel by the Australian authorities.
“The incident was the pursuit of 3 Indonesian fishing boats by Australian authorities patrolling the waters,” Abdi said in a written statement.
This pursuit caused the death of a captain of the fishing motor boat or KMN Calvin-02 in the name of Sugeng. Sugeng is a resident of Merauke, Papua Province.
KMN Calvin-02 then managed to escape and is currently en route to Merauke. Meanwhile, the whereabouts of the other 2 fishing boats are not yet known but are believed to have been captured by Australian authorities.
Regarding this incident, DFW Indonesia has asked the Indonesian government to take steps for internal coordination between ministries and agencies and to communicate with the Australian government.
They asked the Minister Luhut immediately formed and sent an investigation team to Merauke to find facts and ensure correct information about the death of Sugeng who was shot by Australian authorities.
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