RI sailors still affected by 9/11

RI sailors still affected by 9/11

Ridwan Max Sijabat, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Three years on, the Sept. 11 terror attacks on the United States are still affecting thousands of Indonesian seafarers who have been denied access to the U.S. and European countries.

Tony Pangaribuan, an Indonesian seafarer who has been employed for 16 years by the Holland-American Shipping Line operating passenger ships and cruisers, said many seafarers from Southeast Asian and Middle East countries had been experiencing prejudice for "coming from nations that were harboring terrorists".

"I was frequently denied access to go ashore when our vessel anchored at U.S. seaports, although I brought a seafarer identity card (SID) with me," he told a workshop to discuss ILO Convention No. 185 on SID here on Tuesday.

Pangaribuan further said that thousands of seafarers from countries suspected of sheltering terrorists had experienced discriminatory treatment. They were required to undergo particularly rigorous security checks at seaports, and were not allowed to go ashore or to make a stopover if they could not produce a visa.

"Seafarers with no visas have to stay for weeks, sometimes months, aboard their ships, until they leave the country where they are making a stopover," he said, adding that they were treated like dangerous people.

Hanafi Rustandi, chairman of the Indonesian Seafarers Association (KPI), criticized the "excessive" security policy, which he said was a reflection of the American government's paranoia.

"Without any intention of interfering in the U.S. government's internal affairs, we respect and complied with the tight security checks at all ports in the country, but they should not stigmatize people from Indonesia and Middle East countries as having a connection with terrorists," he said.

The Sept. 11 tragedy has discouraged the U.S. and European countries from ratifying the ILO convention on seafarer identity cards, which does not require seafarers to apply for a visa to dock.

"According to the ILO convention, an identity card issued by a state of nationality and not by a flag carrier is enough for a seafarer to make a transit," Undung, who chairs the Indonesian Shipowners Association (INSA), told the workshop.

Dani Appave, a staff member of the ILO, said the absence of trust had caused the U.S. government to refuse to accept a seafarer identity card issued by the Indonesian government.

"It is not enough for Indonesia to ratify the ILO convention, more importantly it needs to take action to seek a win-win solution so that Indonesian seafarers can make a stopover in any country," he said.

Dani suggested that the Indonesian government, particularly the immigration office and the manpower and transportation ministries, adopt a strict selection process to ensure that only seafarers obtain the identity cards. The government also needs to convince the U.S. and European countries that Indonesian seafarers are professionals, he said.