Jakarta's warships to target refugees
PETER ALFORD AND TELLY NATHALIA THE AUSTRALIAN JANUARY 29, 2014 12:00AM
Print
Save for later
THE Indonesian navy has added three small warships to its southern patrols, with Jakarta declaring they are there to intercept people-smuggling boats, not to deter Australian incursions.

"The increased security measures in (the) southern part of the country is in order to anticipate increased illegal migrant activities," said Agus Barnas, spokesman for Senior Security Minister Djoko Suyanto.

As tempers calm following Australia's admission of "inadvertent" territorial-waters incursions and a subsequent apology, the Indonesians have reversed a

plan to send a second frigate, the heaviest and best-armed ships in their fleet, to join the southern patrols.

Instead, three aged Parchim-class "mini-corvettes" have been dispatched.

The navy stepped up patrolling of the waters south of Java last week, in a move announced as part of Jakarta's response to Immigration Minister Scott Morrison's admission that border-protection vessels had breached the 12 nautical miles territorial-waters limit several times.

Tony Abbott yesterday likened the incidents to "Test cricketers occasionally drop(ping) catches" -- mistakes, he said, the navy and Customs would not repeat.

"Now, as Scott Morrison and (Operation Sovereign Borders commander) General (Angus) Campbell announced regretfully a week or so back, unfortunately on a number of occasions inadvertently we did enter Indonesia's territorial waters," the Prime Minister said.

"We deeply regret that, we fully apologise for it and I think the Indonesians have accepted our apology."

The Indonesian government has demanded "formal clarification" of the breaches; Canberra has given no undertaking to provide an explanation.

Immediately following the Australian admission on January 17, the Co-ordinating Ministry for Politics, Legal and Security Affairs announced the strengthening of naval patrols in the area.

Mr Agus then cited both Indonesia's "right to protect its sovereignty and territorial integrity" and its commitment to addressing illegal immigrant movements.

During the following days, sections of the domestic media and some politicians and commentators claimed the Indonesian military was responding proactively to the risk of further Australian incursions.

Mr Agus said yesterday the increased naval activity in southern waters was not directed at the Australians but at people-smugglers.

Whether a second frigate or additional mini-corvettes were used to bolster border security in southern waters was a matter for the navy's fleet commanders, he said.

Air force spokesman Hadi Tjahjanto has also denied reports that the service's Sukhoi fighter squadron and radar installations were placed on alert against Australian territorial incursions.

Air Marshal Hadi said last Friday the air force had not received any orders to intensify operations.

The Australian understands three German-built mini-corvettes, each displacing about 800 tonnes compared with the 2200 tonnes of the navy's six frigates, have been sent to join the southern patrols.

Southern waters patrols are shared between the navy's Western and Eastern fleets, based in Jakarta and Surabaya.

The patrols now involve a frigate, four mini-corvettes, and four fast patrol boats.

Mr Morrison at the weekend welcomed Indonesia's navy deployment as "a very strong deterrence to people-

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/policy/jakartas-warships-to-target-refugees/story-fn9hm1gu-1226812487368#

Ngeyek banget small warship dan mini corvettes