Bali Strait Vulnerable for Illegal Immigrant Infiltration
Besides has a potential infiltrated by terrorists, transportation line at Bali Strait and its surrounding is vulnerable makes it easy for illegal immigrant infiltrated. This condition is due to its geographic which close to Java Island. Other than Bali Straits, the south sea of Java island is also used by those illegal immigrants to infiltrate Bali.
Komandan Pangkalan TNI-AL (Danlanal) Banyuwangi – Base Commander Indonesia National Military-Navy Force Banyuwangi – Letkol Laut (P) NS Embun affirmed that his party all the time had watched North Sea of Java Island up to Bali Straits as a vulnerable line for illegal immigrants. “Indeed there is no case until today concerning that problem still this line is considered as a vulnerable line used by illegal immigrants,” he said on yesterday Sunday (January 3rd).
In 1998, he said, the north sea of Banyuwangi had infiltrated by illegal immigrant once from Afghanistan. He aimed for Australia. And don’t know why, said Embun, tens of those immigrants dumped at the north part of Bali Straits and caught by the patrol officers. “Nowadays also the season of illegal immigrant, we have to watch our step not to make the same case happened again,” he assessed.
People from Pakistan, Afghanistan and other countries in Middle East eventually are the most possible illegal immigrants. In order To anticipate that illegal immigrant, TNI-AL base in Banyuwangi with tighten our security. One of them is go through continuous patrol at Java Sea and Bali Strait as well as around south part of Java Sea. Lanal Banyuwanig mobilize at least two fast patrol ships. Patrol intensity also gets increase and was made a lot than the old schedule.
Besides illegal immigrant, the focus of that patrol is also to catch illegal fishing that used bomb. This activity, according to Danlanal, mostly done by local fishermen around Banyuwangi. Recently there were eight fishermen got caught when used bomb for fishing. That wild fishing activity will harm coral reel in Java Sea.
Bali Strait and Java Sea line, said Embun, also vulnerable with foreign ship that wildly sailing. That sailing activity can be anticipated through cooperation with fishermen at Bali Strait. “If they found suspicious ship, we can ask them to report it to the Navy officer,” he asserted.
Embun also added, his party has wide security alert area. Banyuwangi Navy officers are concentrating their security from Probolinggo until Puger Beach in Jember, East Java. Our minimum numbers of personnel always trouble us in patrol and enforcement if there is infringement at sea. He planned for the inquiring of Lanal Banyuwangi become one level higher than before.
