ID Nugroho, Contributor, Jakarta | Wed, 06/08/2011 7:00 AM
Octiansah and five of his peers were ready to take a rest in the crew room of Jin Chun Tsai, a Taiwanese fishing vessel, after their daylong shift.
Five other crewmen were about to take over for the night, when all of a sudden, a gunshot was heard. Before they knew it, the ship was being hijacked.
What happened on March 28, 2010 remains fresh in the minds of Octiansah and his nine fellow seamen, who were held hostage for 12 months.
“Everything kept ringing in our ears,” recalled Saparudin, one of the 10 former Indonesian hostages.
It all began in 2008, when 10 fishermen from Central Java and East Nusa Tenggara applied for jobs as crew at PT Surya Mitra Bahari in Jakarta. Another, Nurdin from Banten, signed up with PT Wahana Samudera Indonesia. Both companies sent them to Taiwan to work with Jia Feng Yi Co Ltd, Taiwan. The 10 crew were Edi Suprayitno, Yasno, Octiansah, Amier Hidayat, Slamet Riyadi, Saparudin, Japar, Agretas Bartolomeod Sau, Ahmad Yani and Nuruddin.
In mid-September 2009, they set out aboard Jin Chun Tsai (JCT) 68 to Thailand, then on to other destinations. For five months, they worked under Captain Wu Lai Yu, alias Pina. The voyage continued on to Sri Lanka on Feb. 27, 2010, before they sailed to Somali waters to catch sharks.
Five other crewmen were about to take over for the night, when all of a sudden, a gunshot was heard. Before they knew it, the ship was being hijacked.
What happened on March 28, 2010 remains fresh in the minds of Octiansah and his nine fellow seamen, who were held hostage for 12 months.
“Everything kept ringing in our ears,” recalled Saparudin, one of the 10 former Indonesian hostages.
It all began in 2008, when 10 fishermen from Central Java and East Nusa Tenggara applied for jobs as crew at PT Surya Mitra Bahari in Jakarta. Another, Nurdin from Banten, signed up with PT Wahana Samudera Indonesia. Both companies sent them to Taiwan to work with Jia Feng Yi Co Ltd, Taiwan. The 10 crew were Edi Suprayitno, Yasno, Octiansah, Amier Hidayat, Slamet Riyadi, Saparudin, Japar, Agretas Bartolomeod Sau, Ahmad Yani and Nuruddin.
In mid-September 2009, they set out aboard Jin Chun Tsai (JCT) 68 to Thailand, then on to other destinations. For five months, they worked under Captain Wu Lai Yu, alias Pina. The voyage continued on to Sri Lanka on Feb. 27, 2010, before they sailed to Somali waters to catch sharks.
Difficult times: Three of the Indonesian hostages — who were held captive
for 12 months by Somali pirates and who were later freed — recount their
ordeal, in Jakarta. JP/ID Nugroho
for 12 months by Somali pirates and who were later freed — recount their
ordeal, in Jakarta. JP/ID Nugroho
The tragedy started in the evening of March 28, 2010, when eight Somali pirates took over the ship. The gunshots were fired from AK-47 assault rifles. “We were worried, wondering what was going on as several strangers coming from nowhere emerged,” related Octiansah.
The random shots hit the vessel’s masts several times. Realizing they were under attack, the crew rushed to hide. The pirates held sway with no resistance from the captain and seamen. Nine other robbers climbed aboard the Taiwanese flag carrier. The ship was forced to sail to Somalia for five days and the crew were locked up in their rooms.
The days spent as hostages were anything but pleasant. The ex-fishermen’s boundless ocean was reduced to a 6x3-meter room. They were just allowed to go to the bathroom a few meters away. “We had to knock on the door before going there and when we did, the guard at the door cocked his AK-47, ready to shoot,” said crewman Edy Suprayitno.
Food and drinks were also limited. They were taken from JCT supplies, which only lasted for two months. When the food ran out, the robbers supplied low quality rice with fish from fishermen’s catch and some leftover spices. “The first two to three months were so dreadful. We felt threatened,” noted Octiansah.
But things changed after a while. The Indonesian sailors were allowed more freedom. They could take a walk on the deck. By the end of 2010, the hostages were asked to hijack another vessel.
One night, the ship moved into the open sea with 27 seamen including the 10 Indonesians. After sailing for several hours, the ship stopped and all lights were turned off. Some of them, with AK-47s, mortars and a 7-meter-long ladder, boarded speedboats and headed for a fishing vessel.
“It was like what had happened to our ship. The two speedboats chased the vessel, while the pirates fired shots,” added Octiansah. As soon as they reached the vessel, the ladder was hooked on it and they went up to the deck. When everything was secure, JCT was steered toward the side of the ship under control.
The third act of piracy waged by the Somalis along with Indonesian crewmen, however, didn’t run smoothly. The pirates attempted to control a crude palm oil (CPO) ship from China using the same tactics as when they hijacked the JCT. But this vessel had an automated system capable of closing doors from the inside. The pirates aboard the ship failed to secure control of the automated system, so the captain was able to report the attack to the Royal New Zealand Navy.
A naval helicopter soon arrived to the ship’s rescue. When the Navy asked the 15 pirates to surrender, they used the Indonesia sailors as a living shield. They threatened to kill the Indonesians unless they were freed. Luckily, the navy agreed to their demand and let them go, along with the 10 Indonesians.
The random shots hit the vessel’s masts several times. Realizing they were under attack, the crew rushed to hide. The pirates held sway with no resistance from the captain and seamen. Nine other robbers climbed aboard the Taiwanese flag carrier. The ship was forced to sail to Somalia for five days and the crew were locked up in their rooms.
The days spent as hostages were anything but pleasant. The ex-fishermen’s boundless ocean was reduced to a 6x3-meter room. They were just allowed to go to the bathroom a few meters away. “We had to knock on the door before going there and when we did, the guard at the door cocked his AK-47, ready to shoot,” said crewman Edy Suprayitno.
Food and drinks were also limited. They were taken from JCT supplies, which only lasted for two months. When the food ran out, the robbers supplied low quality rice with fish from fishermen’s catch and some leftover spices. “The first two to three months were so dreadful. We felt threatened,” noted Octiansah.
But things changed after a while. The Indonesian sailors were allowed more freedom. They could take a walk on the deck. By the end of 2010, the hostages were asked to hijack another vessel.
One night, the ship moved into the open sea with 27 seamen including the 10 Indonesians. After sailing for several hours, the ship stopped and all lights were turned off. Some of them, with AK-47s, mortars and a 7-meter-long ladder, boarded speedboats and headed for a fishing vessel.
“It was like what had happened to our ship. The two speedboats chased the vessel, while the pirates fired shots,” added Octiansah. As soon as they reached the vessel, the ladder was hooked on it and they went up to the deck. When everything was secure, JCT was steered toward the side of the ship under control.
The third act of piracy waged by the Somalis along with Indonesian crewmen, however, didn’t run smoothly. The pirates attempted to control a crude palm oil (CPO) ship from China using the same tactics as when they hijacked the JCT. But this vessel had an automated system capable of closing doors from the inside. The pirates aboard the ship failed to secure control of the automated system, so the captain was able to report the attack to the Royal New Zealand Navy.
A naval helicopter soon arrived to the ship’s rescue. When the Navy asked the 15 pirates to surrender, they used the Indonesia sailors as a living shield. They threatened to kill the Indonesians unless they were freed. Luckily, the navy agreed to their demand and let them go, along with the 10 Indonesians.
Behind bars: Suspected Somali pirates captured by the British Navy in the
Gulf of Aden stand in a cell in court in the Kenyan port city of Mombasa.
Reuters/Joseph Okanga
The Somali pirates had also successfully hijacked a Greek flag carrier, Irene SL. When the third act of piracy was thwarted, the 12-month hostage drama involving the 10 Indonesians ended. During the last operation in the Arab Sea, one pirate was killed and two others were severely wounded.
“At the time, the Somali pirates asked the US Navy’s USS Halyburton FFG 40 to provide medical treatment in exchange for freeing the 10 Indonesian and three Yemeni hostages. The swap went ahead in March 2011. Octiansah was taken to the Indonesian Embassy in Muscat, Oman. “When we were on the US ship, we heard the news about the hijacking of MV Sinar Kudus,” he said.
Back in Indonesia, the 10 seamen last month visited PT Surya Mitra Bahari and PT Wahana Samudera Indonesia in Jakarta, asking for their 19-month salaries, equivalent to US$ 240 a month, which they never received.
The companies argued they had not yet received confirmation from their partner in Taiwan. “They said all the salaries would be paid when the captain of JCT, now still held hostage, is also freed,” said Octiansah. But there is no certainty over when this will happen.
The crew later sought the assistance of the Indonesian Workers’ Legal Aid Association (PBHTKI) to get the money they were owed. Benhart Nababan, Director of PBH TKI, said the legal position of the 10 sailors was strong enough. “We’ve reported the case to the Indonesian Workers’ Placement and Protection Agency (BNP2TKI) and the Foreign Office for their defense,” he added.
Furthermore, PBHTKI and the 10 seamen reported the matter to the House Commission IX and met with a Commission IX member from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), Rieke Dyah Pitaloka. “Our sailors so far have not been regarded as Indonesian workers and never received training, let alone protection, which should be investigated,” she said.
The crew that was freed remain concerned over the fate of another hostage from Indonesia who hasn’t been rescued yet. The seaman from Jakarta works on the Blida ship. When he met with Octiansah and the other crew, he said he would soon be freed. “Hopefully he’s all right now,” said Octiansah.
“At the time, the Somali pirates asked the US Navy’s USS Halyburton FFG 40 to provide medical treatment in exchange for freeing the 10 Indonesian and three Yemeni hostages. The swap went ahead in March 2011. Octiansah was taken to the Indonesian Embassy in Muscat, Oman. “When we were on the US ship, we heard the news about the hijacking of MV Sinar Kudus,” he said.
Back in Indonesia, the 10 seamen last month visited PT Surya Mitra Bahari and PT Wahana Samudera Indonesia in Jakarta, asking for their 19-month salaries, equivalent to US$ 240 a month, which they never received.
The companies argued they had not yet received confirmation from their partner in Taiwan. “They said all the salaries would be paid when the captain of JCT, now still held hostage, is also freed,” said Octiansah. But there is no certainty over when this will happen.
The crew later sought the assistance of the Indonesian Workers’ Legal Aid Association (PBHTKI) to get the money they were owed. Benhart Nababan, Director of PBH TKI, said the legal position of the 10 sailors was strong enough. “We’ve reported the case to the Indonesian Workers’ Placement and Protection Agency (BNP2TKI) and the Foreign Office for their defense,” he added.
Furthermore, PBHTKI and the 10 seamen reported the matter to the House Commission IX and met with a Commission IX member from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), Rieke Dyah Pitaloka. “Our sailors so far have not been regarded as Indonesian workers and never received training, let alone protection, which should be investigated,” she said.
The crew that was freed remain concerned over the fate of another hostage from Indonesia who hasn’t been rescued yet. The seaman from Jakarta works on the Blida ship. When he met with Octiansah and the other crew, he said he would soon be freed. “Hopefully he’s all right now,” said Octiansah.
Source: The Jakarta Post
Url: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2011/06/08/indonesian-sailors%E2%80%99-one-year-ordeal.html
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