Admiralty courts in the making<\/p>\n
Tony Hotland, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The government is considering establishing maritime courts to try
\ncriminals operating in Indonesian waters, with the Navy arguing
\nthat dealing with such cases through the conventional courts is
\nproving ineffective.<\/p>\n
Navy Chief of Staff Adm. Slamet Soebijanto said on Wednesday
\nthat establishing admiralty courts would mean knowledgeable
\nprofessionals delivered proper verdicts on maritime crimes.<\/p>\n
"Not everyone knows about the real situation at sea, apart
\nfrom those who deal with maritime affairs. We're talking about
\nunconventional crimes, such as piracy and smuggling," he said
\nafter a hearing with the House of Representatives' Commission I
\non defense and foreign affairs.<\/p>\n
Slamet said those properly acquainted with the laws of the sea
\nshould to be able to produce better and more significant verdicts
\ncommensurate with the level of the crimes prosecuted.<\/p>\n
Similar such courts had been established and were effective in
\nBritain, he said.<\/p>\n
The proposal received a largely positive responses from
\nlegislators, who said there was an urgent need to reduce maritime
\ncrime, which is increasing in Indonesian waters.<\/p>\n
Lawmaker Sutradara Gintings said specific law enforcement for
\ncrimes at sea was essential.<\/p>\n
"Most of these cases when tried in conventional courts often
\nproduce problematic verdicts, which do not have the required
\ndeterrent effect," he said.<\/p>\n
At Wednesday's hearing, Slamet proposed the Navy should
\ncoordinate with other government institutions to come up with a
\ndraft law on the creation of the admiralty courts, which would
\nthen be submitted with the House.<\/p>\n
During the hearing, legislators urged the Navy to increase its
\ncooperation patrolling with Singapore and Malaysia patrolling the
\nStrait of Malacca, a busy international shipping lane that has
\none of the highest piracy rates in the world.<\/p>\n
Legislator Ade Daud Nasution said Indonesia was becoming well
\nknown as a safe haven for sea piracy.<\/p>\n
"Within the January to March period this year, at least 16 of
\n56 piracy cases in the world took place in Indonesia. Of 325
\ncases worldwide last year, 129 occurred in Southeast Asia, 93 of
\nthem in Indonesia, while 37 were in the Strait of Malacca," he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Slamet said the Navy had concentrated its force in the strait
\nand had divided the 670 kilometer-long area into sectors.<\/p>\n
"We hope that by strictly dividing the area by sector, with
\neach area monitored by one unit of force, we can eliminate the
\ncrimes there," he said.<\/p>\n
The threat of international terrorism in the strait has
\nincreased international calls to secure it, and the United States
\nhas offered its Navy's services in the area.<\/p>\n
The U.S. offer was rejected by legislators here, who said it
\nwas a form of American intervention. They argued that only the
\nstrait's littoral states, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore,
\nshould patrol it.<\/p>",
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