Members of the Indonesian Navy's elite Frogman Command removing a section of an illegal sea barrier on Jan 22, 2025, in the waters off Tanjung Pasir, Tangerang regency, Banten. - Antara
JAKARTA: The Indonesian Navy has made significant progress in dismantling a 30-kilometre-long bamboo fence installed illegally in the coastal waters of Tangerang, Banten, removing just over half of the structure since the operation began a week ago.
The Navy-led joint operation had taken down 15.5km of the fence by Sunday (Jan 26) in three sections in Tanjung Pasir village, Kronjo district and Mauk district, Navy spokesperson Cdre. I Made Wira Hady Arsanta Wardhana said in a statement released on Monday.
“A total of 475 personnel from the Navy, the Korpolairud [Indonesian Marine Police] and Bakamla [Maritime Security Agency], as well as local fishermen, were involved in the operation to remove the fence in the three locations, so fishers can access the sea to earn their living,” Wira said.
The Navy also deployed four Maritime Security Patrol boats, as well as 23 smaller boats. “The operation was also assisted by boats belonging to fishermen, who have been very enthusiastic about helping to dismantle the sea barrier, from the first day until now," Wira added.
Estimated to take two weeks, the operation to dismantle the makeshift fence commenced on Jan 18 upon an order from President Prabowo Subianto.
The fence spans a total length of 30.16km, meaning that a 14.66km section remains to be dismantled in the next week.
Some of the dismantled bamboo poles were stored as evidence for the authorities' investigation.
Meanwhile, local fishers have either reused the rest of them to build racks for green mussel cultivation and fences around their homes or resold them for Rp 10,000 (62 US cents) apiece. The illegal structure emerged in the public spotlight this year following viral pictures and videos questioning its origin.
No one seemed to know who had built it or why it had been built, though speculation that the structure was installed in connection with land reclamation projects continues to gain traction.
As the government continues to investigate the structure’s origin, the Agrarian and Spatial Planning Ministry has cancelled hundreds of right to build (HGB) permits and land ownership certificates (SHM) for nearby onshore areas, citing procedural errors.
In addition to hindering local fishing and fish farming activities, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Sakti Wahyu Trenggono said last week that the illegal structure had disrupted the operations of the Banten 3 coal-fired power plant.
Sakti added that the ministry would continue to investigate the origins of the structure in coordination with authorities in Tangerang and to improve general monitoring and supervision of maritime areas. - The Jakarta Post/ANN
