Vietnamese Ambassador to Indonesia Pham Vinh Quang talks to the Vietnamese fishermen (Photo: VNA) Jakarta (VNA) – TheVietnamese Embassy in Indonesia in collaboration with local authorities havecompleted paperwork for the repatriation of 42 Vietnamese fishermen.
Vietnamese Ambassador to IndonesiaPham Vinh Quang said the arrest and detainment of the fishermen in Indonesia isa warning for them about the risks of not understanding, or lacking informationon, Vietnam’s and Indonesia’s laws and regulations.
According to the diplomat, theVietnamese Embassy worked closely with relevant Indonesian agencies to verifyinformation on the case. Efforts had been made to reduce the detainees’difficulties during their captivity, as well as have the Indonesian side returnthem.
Those arrested, working on fivefishing vessels, had been kept in the Natuna islands since April this year.Most of them, born in the Vietnamese provinces of Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Kien Giang,Tien Giang, and Ben Tre, were hired for fishing and seafood processing.
The majority of them said theywere simply following the orders they were hired for, without any priorknowledge about Indonesian territorial waters.
Some had also stated that uponreturning home, they were to stop sailing due to health issues and old age.
The detainees were set to flyhome from the Soekarno Hatta International Airport in Jakarta.
Five captains and 10 witnesses ofthe five vessels are still detained and are awaiting trial by the Indonesianauthorities.-VNA
VNA
