Indonesia urges China, South Korea to probe deaths of four seamen who were allegedly denied treatment
- Indonesian crew of Chinese-flagged Long Xing 629 tuna longliner told South Korean media crewmates were denied medical treatment and subjected to physical abuse
- They said they had to work 18 hours a day and were treated worse than Chinese crew members, and were paid only a tenth of the US$300 per month agreed salary
The Indonesian government said on Thursday it was seeking clarification and investigation from the Chinese and South Korean governments over the deaths of four Indonesian seamen working on a Chinese longliner.
The request follows South Korean media reports quoting Indonesian crew members of Chinese-flagged Long Xing 629 tuna longliner as saying their crewmates were denied medical treatment and subjected to physical abuse.
Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi told a press conference that she spoke with Chinese Ambassador Xiao Qian and expressed her government’s concerns “over the living conditions of the crew members on board that are … suspected to have caused the deaths of the four Indonesian crew members”.
Retno said the dead crew members were among 18 Indonesians working on Long Xing 629. Two of them died in December, one on March 30 and another one on April 27. Those who died in December and March were buried at sea.
The four dead seamen had been reportedly sick for weeks while on board but the captain repeatedly refused to go to ports for medical treatment.
South Korean media reports quoted crew members as complaining they had to work 18 hours a day and were treated worse than Chinese crew members, while they were paid only a tenth of the US$300 per month they were entitled to receive under their work contracts.
Retno said the vessel’s captain claimed that their burials at sea were required to maintain the health of others because they died of infectious diseases and that they were done in compliance with the International Labour Organisation’s Seafarer’s Service Regulations.
The Indonesian government, however, has “asked for clarification and valid information [from the Chinese government] on whether the burials were done based on the ILO standards”, she added.
Retno said the government had requested the South Korean coastguard to investigate the case and asked the Chinese government’s assistance in seeking that the vessel’s company pay full salaries to the crewmen, including the unpaid salaries of those who died.