Confusion over ‘trafficked’ fishermen

Confusion and growing frustration shroud the case of the crew members of a Namibian fishing company vessel who are alleged to be human trafficking victims.

Foreign patrol vessel Sea Shepherd, with support from the Namibian fisheries observers and the Namibian Police, last June discovered a fishing vessel allegedly violating Namibian fisheries and marine resources laws.

Allegations of poor working conditions and maltreatment soon surfaced.
The vessel, Nata Fishing’s MV Shang Fu, was seized and forced back to the port of Walvis Bay, but a second vessel, MV Nata 2, was not.
Together, the vessels accommodated 60 crew members, which included individuals from various nationalities, including Namibians.
At the centre of the issue, eight Namibian crew members, along with captains from Taiwan and a Filipino officer, feel forgotten amid the focus on alleged human trafficking with the vessel’s operations having been stopped.

A lack of information from the Ministry of International Relations and Corporation, the Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security, and the Ministry of Justice has left them in the dark, they say.
The Namibian crew members say they have reached out to the police since the seizure of the two Namibian-registered vessels and the detention of about 40 nationals last August, but have seen no progress in their case.
Some crew members, who wish to remain anonymous, have told The Namibian the government is neglecting the matter.
“The government seems indifferent to our struggles, we suffer without money,” one crew member says.

Possible charges which have been considered in the case included trafficking in persons, contravening the Labour Act, contravening the Immigration Control Act, contravening the Marine Resources Act, and possible fraud under common law.
According to the police, the matter is still under investigation, though all the detained foreigners have been sent back to their countries since last month.

Erongo police regional commander commissioner Nikolaus Kupembona has confirmed this.
“The investigations are at an advanced stage,” he says, adding that the vessels are still in the hands of the state.
Ten crew members have denied allegations of abuse and poor working conditions when speaking to The Namibian, saying some foreign workers have been with the company for up to three years with no problem.

‘NOT FORCED TO WORK’

According to them, the Namibians have experienced discrimination and assault from foreign crew members, but not from their employer.
Despite reporting this to the police, they say no action has been taken.
The crew members say the conditions on the vessels were, however, “luxurious” compared to other Namibian vessels.
“We are unsure why the vessels are not allowed to go out, as we do not agree with the allegations. Why are the Namibian vessels being victimised?” one crew member asked.
The crew members say they are not being forced to work.
“These human trafficking claims are sh*t , man . . . They must just leave us and let us continue our work,” another crew member says.

‘NO TRAFFICKING’

The Indonesian and Chinese embassies have issued statements seen by The Namibian denying allegations of human trafficking involving the crew members.
They stated that, after visiting the crew members, they concluded the fishermen had not been subjected to any form of coercion, force, or deception and they were satisfied with their working and living conditions on board.

“The living conditions on the fishing vessel Shang Fu were quite satisfactory,” the Indonesian letter read.
Indonesian crew members said they willingly applied for the jobs in their home country and were fully aware that they would be working at sea under a contractual agreement.

They also confirmed that they have received their full salaries on time, as per their working contract, and have not been exploited.
Similarly, the Chinese embassy informed the Namibian authorities that all the vessel staffers had signed employment contracts with the vessel owners and received their monthly salaries.
“No evidence of human trafficking was found,” the embassy stated.
In a sworn affidavit by Hoang Minh Hieu, a Vietnamese fisherman who was also on the vessel, he claims he was forcefully removed from the Sheng Fu vessel by the Namibian authorities.

Justice ministry spokesperson Viktoria Hango yesterday said: “The foreign fishermen suspected of being trafficked were victims, and as such, they were not charged. They have been repatriated to their respective countries.”

The international relations ministry could not be reached for comment.
Board members of Nata Fishing Enterprises say they are not involved in any human trafficking and to date have not been charged with any activity relating to this crime.
They say they prefer to remain anonymous since they do not want to be associated with such activities.