MP: The State Must Be Fully Present to Save Indonesians in Somalia
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Member of Commission I of the Indonesian House of Representatives Yudha Novanza Utama stated that the state must be maximally present to save Indonesian citizens held hostage by pirates in Somali waters, an incident that has lasted nearly two weeks since it occurred on 21 April 2026.
Yudha, in his statement in Jakarta on Monday, appreciated the steps taken by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, which continues to conduct intensive coordination through the Indonesian Embassy in Nairobi with various parties in Somalia, including local authorities and community leaders.
Nevertheless, he emphasised that this situation requires an escalation of more comprehensive and measured steps.
“I express deep concern over the condition of the four Indonesian citizens who remain in captivity to this day. The state must be maximally present to ensure the safety of all citizens in emergency situations like this,” said Yudha.
The four Indonesian citizens are crew members of the tanker MT Honour 25, namely Ashari Samadikun (ship captain), Adi Faizal (2nd Officer), Wahudinanto (Chief Officer), and Fiki Mutakin. They were taken hostage by an armed pirate group while passing through a piracy-prone area.
According to him, diplomatic efforts must be carried out optimally, both through bilateral channels with authorities in Somalia and through international cooperation, given that this is an organised cross-border crime.
Yudha stated that the incident is not the first case, but rather part of a recurring pattern in global maritime security, particularly in the Horn of Africa region, which has long been known as one of the piracy hotspots.
He added that global geopolitical dynamics also contribute to the resurgence of piracy activities, especially when international attention and patrols are focused on other areas, such as the Middle East and the Red Sea.
“We see gaps in the global maritime security system when international focus is divided. This situation is exploited by pirate groups that have long had organised patterns and networks,” he said.
Therefore, he also encouraged the government not only to focus on short-term efforts to free the hostages, but also to strengthen long-term strategies for protecting Indonesian seafarers, including improving security standards for ships traversing high-risk areas.
“An evaluation of the protection system, including coordination with companies and international shipping security standards, is very important to prevent similar incidents from recurring,” he said.