Jakarta (VNA) – Vietnamese Ambassador to Indonesia Pham Vinh Quang had a virtual working sessionwith leaders of Tanjung Pinang detention centre on December 16 to discuss the situation of Vietnamese fishermen detainedhere.
Quang thanked officers at the detention centre for their cooperation with the Embassyof Vietnam in Indonesia in recent years and asked them to facilitate theimprovement of living conditions for the fishermen.
He proposedthe centre to provide the fishermen with more healthy and hygienic meals andspace for sporting activities while permitting them to go shopping forgroceries once a week to cook Vietnamese dishes.
Thediplomat also urged the Indonesian side to give the Vietnamese citizens timelyhealthcare services and face masks to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Deputyhead of the Tanjung Pinang detention centre Andi Setiawan vowed to improve livingconditions of the Vietnamese within the centre’s capacity and in line withIndonesia’s regulations. He also agreed to allow them to do exercise, goshopping for groceries and use kitchen.
Quang later virtually met with the Vietnamese fishermen to get to know more about theirsituation and update them with the developments of the COVID-19 pandemic and procedures to takethem home.
Due tothe pandemic, Vietnam and Indonesia have yet to resume commercial flights,causing difficulties to arrange flights repatriating the fishermen, heexplained, adding that the arrangement must receive approval from the governmentperiodically.
Hefurther noted that all their documents had been sent to competent authoritiesfor identity verification and they will be granted with passports in accordancewith the 2019 Immigration Law. It takes more time than before, he added.
Arepresentative of the fishermen voiced his gratitude towards the embassy’ssupport and pledged to comply with the centre’s regulations.
Allthe detained expressed their wish to be helped complete all required legalsteps to reunite with their families for the Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday.
Sincethe outbreak of COVID🍒-19, the Embassy of Vietnam in Indonesia has paid four virtualconsular visits to the d꧅etained fishermen and repatriated 114 of them in total.More consular visits and meetings with Indonesia officers will be arranged inthe coming time to bring the fishermen home./.

Vie🧸tnam requests China to investigate incident related to Vietnamese fishin🐻g vessel in Hoang Sa
Vietnam has affirmed its sovereignty over the Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelago and requested China to investigate the incident involving the acts of Chinese vessels against a Vietnamese fishing boat in the archipelago’s waters on June 10.