Autonomy upsets fishermen: Police
Nana Rukmana, The Jakarta Post, Cirebon
A misperception of the Regional Autonomy Law has frequently triggered violent conflicts among fishermen operating along Java's coastal areas, Central Java Police Chief Insp. Gen. Erwin Mappaseng says.
"The police have attended a great number of violent incidents among fishermen since the implementation of regional autonomy in January 2000 because they have misunderstood the autonomy program," Erwin said during a tour of Cirebon on Wednesday.
He said violence among fishermen had often happened because fishermen in West Java did not want those from Central and East Java fishing in the province's waters.
"Fishermen here have indirectly claimed the province's waters to be theirs," he said. "Autonomy does not mean that fishermen from other provinces are not allowed to fish in West Java waters."
Erwin, accompanied Adj. Sr. Comr. Siswandi, chief of the Cirebon Police Precinct, called on provincial and regency administrations in Java to educate the public on the autonomy program to help eliminate conflict among the people.
"The police have no means to explain the regional autonomy to the people," he added.
The misperception of the regional autonomy still has happened not only at the grassroots level but also among the political elite, especially concerning gubernatorial and regent elections.
Asked about the rife piracy on Java waters, Mappaseng denied it, saying he had never received any reports on piracy in the waters.
He added he had enhanced coordination with the Navy to supervise the waters in anticipation of illegal fishing by foreign fishermen.
Col. Budhi S. Yitno, commandant of the Cirebon naval base, said last week that there had been at least five attacks by pirates in the last two months.
"The prevalent piracy has raised unrest among local fishermen and so far, no action has been taken by the local marine police unit," he said, saying the piracies were well organized because pirates had used communication systems and speedboats in their operations.