Human rights abuses must not be allowed in our waters

Jeremy Muir

Allegations of serious human rights abuses on foreign fishing vessels in our waters need to be investigated fully, which means keeping 39 Indonesian crewmen in New Zealand to give evidence to a joint ministerial inquiry.

Labour Minister Kate Wilkinson denies any knowledge of a reported deportation order and says it is not up to her to intervene in the Department of Labour’s work.

That needs to change if there is any plan to send the men home before the inquiry, announced last month following reports of abuse on the Oyang 75 — a replacement trawler for the Oyang 70, which sank with the loss of six lives last August — and contact from a number of groups about issues on foreign vessels.

Crew on both Oyang boats and another Korean vessel, the Shin Ji, told researchers of physical, mental and sexual abuse, and of threats to families back in Indonesia. The company at the centre of the allegations rejects them as “bizarre” and says the Auckland University report, released yesterday, is biased.

The report claims foreign crew members are being exploited by fishing companies and the agents who hire them, and that New Zealand officials are regularly lied to.

Government policy is that terms and conditions for crew operating in our waters should be the same as for New Zealand workers.

But the mostly Indonesian crew members claim they were left with annual incomes of $6700 to $11,600; had no days off over two years; worked an average of 16-hour days and up to 40-hour shifts; were fed fish bait; beaten; forced to sign false time-shifts; denied medical treatment; and accidents were covered up.

If these claims are true, new regulations and stepped-up monitoring is needed.

This country also needs to be sure the men are protected from possible retribution and to ensure full payment of wages owed. If it is considered necessary, some of the men could need further assistance to help them resettle in new homes in Indonesia.


(2011-8-12/The Gisborne Herald)