Ministry of Foreign Affairs speaks out about Indonesia sinking Vietnamese fishing boat

"Vietnam is deeply concerned about the arrest and destruction of Vietnamese fishing boats by the Indonesian Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries and some maritime forces. This is an action that is inconsistent with bilateral relations and contrary to the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)," said Le Thi Thu Hang, spokesperson of the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, at a regular press conference this afternoon.

Indonesia sank 51 boats from Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand and China in waters near Pontianak, West Kalimantan province, on May 4, the Associated Press reported. The Indonesian government accused the boats of fishing illegally in its waters, saying the move was a “necessary action” to warn neighboring countries that Indonesia is serious about combating illegal fishing.

Ms. Hang said that Vietnam has communicated with Indonesia many times through different channels about Indonesia sinking Vietnamese fishing boats. Vietnam also requested that Indonesian authorities act in accordance with international law, UNCLOS, treat Vietnamese fishing boats and fishermen humanely, in accordance with bilateral relations and the spirit of ASEAN solidarity.

"Vietnam wishes to develop friendly relations and multifaceted cooperation with Indonesia in the spirit of strategic partnership, for the benefit of the people of the two countries, contributing to building a united and strong ASEAN Community, contributing to peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world," the spokesperson said.

According to Ms. Hang, unofficial statistics show that since the beginning of 2019, there have been 12 cases involving Vietnamese fishing boats, of which 17 boats and 140 fishermen were arrested by Indonesia.

On May 1, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs invited a representative of the Indonesian Embassy in Vietnam to work and deliver a diplomatic note expressing concern about the recent Indonesian naval vessels continuously controlling, arresting fishermen, and towing Vietnamese fishing boats in Vietnam's waters, north of the 2003 Continental Shelf Demarcation Line.

One of the cases mentioned by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was the case in which Indonesian naval ship numbered 381 used force and threatened to use force not only against fishing boats but also against Vietnamese official vessels exercising sovereignty and jurisdiction at sea on April 27.

Vietnam emphasized that these actions by Indonesia seriously violated Vietnam's sovereignty and jurisdiction, were contrary to international law, and were inconsistent with the traditional friendship, strategic partnership between Vietnam and Indonesia, and ASEAN solidarity.