Law Enforcement in Indonesian Sea Territory
Research Cluster for Sustainable Ocean Policy (CSOP) held Public Lecture Series on International Sea Law entitled “Law Enforcement in Indonesian Sea Territory” by Vice Admiral TNI Ane Soedewo, S.E., M.H. (Head of the Indonesian Maritime Security Agency–Badan Keamanan Laut or Bakamla) on April 12, 2018 at Djokosoetono Auditorium, FHUI, UI Campus, Depok.
Indonesia has an extensive sea area (including ZEEI), approximately 5.8 million kilometer square which is around three-quarters of the total Indonesian territory. Inside, there are 17,504 islands and surrounded by 95,200 km coastline, the second longest after Canada. It is this physical fact that makes Indonesia known as the largest archipelagic country in the world.
As a country that has a vast sea territory, Indonesia certainly has many problems in regard to its maritime territory, Indonesia faces various transnational crimes commonly occurring at sea such as, Illegal fishing, Smuggling of goods, Smuggling of drugs, Human Trafficking / Smuggling and boat people, terrorism and pirates.
To maintain the vast sea area, Indonesia has seven law enforcement agencies that have a patrol duty at sea. These law enforcement agencies include the TNI-Navy; POLRI-Directorate of Water Police; Ministry of Transportation-Directorate General of Sea Transportation; Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries-Director General of PSDKP; Ministry of Finance-Directorate General of Customs; Bakamla, and the Task Force on Illegal Fishing Eradication (Satgas 115). The seven law enforcement agencies conduct patrols related to the security of the sea on a sectoral basis in accordance with the authority they have in accordance with their respective laws and regulations.
Through Bakamla, the state is present at sea in carrying out the guarding, supervision, prevention and prosecution of violations of law in the territorial waters of Indonesia and the jurisdiction of Indonesia. Various functions are implemented by Bakamla in performing its duties to conduct security and safety patrols in the territorial waters of Indonesia and the jurisdiction of Indonesia.
Through its duty, Bakamla also supports the implementation of the government’s vision of making Indonesia to be a World Maritime Axis. Maritime axis is a strategic idea embodied to ensure inter-island connectivity, the development of shipping and fishery industries, improvement of marine transportation and a focus on maritime security.
The enforcement of the Indonesian sea territory’s sovereignty, the revitalization of maritime economic sectors, the strengthening and development of maritime connectivity, the rehabilitation of environmental degradation and the conservation of biodiversity, as well as the enhancement of the quality and quantity of marine human resources, are the main programs in the President Jokowi’s administration to realize Indonesia as the world maritime axis.
