We can only ask for information from Korea on the development of the negotiations between the ship`s owner and the piratesJakarta (ANTARA News) - The owner of a ship, Samho Jewerly, is engaged in negotiations to free to Indonesian seamen who had been held captive by Somalian pirates in the Arab Sea.
President of the Indonesian Seamen`s Association (KPI) Hanafi Rustandi said in a press release received in Jakarta on Wednesday that said that the entire process of the negotiations to free the seamen on the vessel is the right of the ship`s owner without intervention of outsiders.
"This is an international agreement that must be followed by all the parties in the negotiations," Hanafi said.
He also said that KPI has already asked the Indonesian foreign ministry to cooperate with the government of South Korean where the ship came from, in an attempt to free the ship`s crew, including two Indonesian seamen held captive by the Somalian armed pirates.
KPI also asked PT Korin Jakarta, agent who has placed the two seamen, to inform it on the developments of the Indonesian seamen held hostage.
Samho Jewerly, a South Korean cargo ship, was last week held hostage by Somalian armed pirates when passing the Arab Sea.
The vessel carrying 11,500 tons of chemicals was sailing from India to Sri Lanka, but before that the cargo ship is headed to the United Arab Republic by way of the Arab Sea.
In the Arab Sea the ship with a crew of 21 was hijacked by Somalian armed pirates. The ship`s crew members included 8 Koreans, 11 Myanmarese, and two Indonesians.
The two Indonesian seamen are Sonny Aritonang from Medan, and Ufuk Megantoro from Surabaya.
Hanafi said the fate of all the ship`s crew held hostage is the responsibility of the South Korean government, as it flies the Korean flag. But Indonesia has now power to urge the Korean government to immediatley fre the crew, as the negotiations will be carried out by the ship`s owner.
"We can only ask for information from Korea on the development of the negotiations between the ship`s owner and the pirates," he said.
The two Indonesian seamen are working on the ship by way of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) signed by the ship`s owner and KPI.
Sonny Sangaya Aritonang went on board the ship on December 22, 2010, in his capacity as Second Mate, while Ufuk Megantoro went aboard on October 16 as third engineer. (*)
Editor: Aditia Maruli Radja
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