Antara
Banda Aceh (ANTARA) -
As many as 23 families of fishermen who were arrested and detained by the state authorities of Myanmar since January 29, 2019 went to the East Aceh District head and asked the government to continue to release and repatriate them.

"Today, 23 families of fishermen detained in Myanmar came to us and they asked the government to continue to try to release and repatriate them," East Aceh District Head Hasbalah HM Thaib said through information received by Antara in Banda Aceh on Thursday.

All of these East Aceh fishermen sailed by the Trojan KM and were captured by the Navy Ship (558) Myanmar in the waters of Zardatgyi Island, Kawthoung Township, Taninthayi region, Myanmar.

"We ask all families of fishermen who live in East Aceh, North Aceh and Langsa to remain patient, because the Indonesian Government through the Indonesian Embassy is trying to lobby the Myanmar Government for release," said the East Aceh Regent, who was familiarly called Rocky.

As the regional head, he still feels responsible and has written to the central government in Jakarta through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to try to free the 23 fishermen.

"We continue to coordinate with the Indonesian Government so that East Aceh fishermen can be immediately released," he said.

For the fishermen's release process, the East Aceh District Head claimed to have met the Director of Southeast Asia Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jakarta. In addition, he will also coordinate with the Myanmar Embassy (Embassy) to Indonesia in Jakarta.

"We are assisted by members of the House of Representatives Commission III from Aceh, and continue to try to lobby, so that all of our fishermen captured in Myanmar can immediately be repatriated," he said.

Acehnese fishermen are Zulfadli, Fakhrurrazi, Andi Syahputra, Junaidi, Muhammad, Warni Ramansyah, Syawaluddin, M Nazar, Darani Syah, M Acep, Abdullah, Agus Miranda, Mulyadi, M Amin, Ardi Saputra, Fhahrul Rozi, Abdurrahman, Zulkarnaini, Idris , Feri Mataniari, Darwinsyah, M Yakob, Mahfud.

Then, the Myanmar state authorities have still arrested an Acehnese fisherman in the name of Jamaludin who was arrested on November 6, 2018 along with 15 other fishermen.

Jamaluddin along with 15 other fishermen, and 14 of whom obtained forgiveness from the Government of Myanmar and have returned to their homeland, while another fisherman, Nurdin,who died has been buried in Mynamar.












Translator: Eliswan Azly
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
Copyright © ANTARA 2019