Navy releases two foreign dredgers<\/p>\n
Fadi and Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Batam\/Jakarta<\/p>\n
The Navy has released two of the seven foreign-registered
\ndredgers detained for illegal sand dredging in the waters off
\nTangjungbalai Karimum, Riau, after the vessels' owners paid a
\ntotal of US$650,000, or more than Rp 6 billion, in fines to the
\ngovernment.<\/p>\n
The commander of the naval base in Tanjungbalai Karimun, Maj.
\nPurwanto, confirmed on Wednesday that the two dredgers, the TB
\nOlivia and the TB Jasmine V, which had been chartered by PT Pola
\nKendali Karimun, were released on Monday after the fines, which
\nwere set at 15 percent of the dredgers' value, were paid.<\/p>\n
The two dredgers, along with five others, the Prof Gurjunof,
\nSamsung Apollo, Vasco da Gama, Lange Wafer and the Alexander von
\nHumbold have been detained since July 25, 2002, after they were
\narrested while carrying thousands of tons of sand without the
\nnecessary documents from Riau waters to the island state of
\nSingapore.<\/p>\n
The arrests were in line with the government's stated
\nintention of curbing illegal sand dredging, which has been
\ninflicting losses on the state of up to Rp 2.3 trillion (US$258
\nmillion) every year.<\/p>\n
\"The two vessels were released at the order of the Sand Mining
\nControl and Monitoring Team in Jakarta,\" Purwanto told The
\nJakarta Post by telephone.<\/p>\n
Tanjung Balai Karimun Regent Muhammad Sani regretted the
\nfines, saying that the government should have complied with the
\ndistrict court's order that the owners of the seven dredgers pay
\nRp 30 million each in fines.<\/p>\n
\"The team's decision to impose fines amounting to 15 percent
\nof the dredgers' value flies in the face of the court verdict and
\ngives rise to legal uncertainty,\" he argued.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Rokhmin
\nDahuri said in Jakarta that the government would not back down
\nfollowing its decision to impose the 15 percent fines on all of
\nthe dredgers.<\/p>\n
\"The dredgers will continue to be detained until their owners
\npay the fines. The vessels will be confiscated by the state if
\nthey fail to do so,\" he said after briefing President Megawati
\nSoekarnoputri on the case.<\/p>\n
Rokhmin, who also chairs the sand mining monitoring team, said
\nthat the two Japanese companies operating the released dredgers
\nhad already paid their fines.<\/p>\n
Jakarta has expressed concern to the Singapore government over
\nillegal sand exports, which support reclamation projects in the
\ncity state.<\/p>\n
However, the Singapore government is reluctant to deal
\ndirectly with Jakarta over issue as the sand is supplied by an
\ninternational syndicate.<\/p>\n
Local activists in Riau have repeatedly demanded that the
\ndredger owners face criminal charges.<\/p>\n
Rokhmin said that the South Korean and Dutch companies
\ninvolved were still trying to negotiate the fines with the
\ngovernment.<\/p>\n
\"However, we are insisting that the fines should be as much as
\nthe court decided and we expect them to comply with the
\ndecision,\" he added.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/navy-releases-two-foreign-dredgers-1447893297",
"image": ""
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