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.