Pemalang, Kilaswarta.com -- The MARINA (Mobilizing Actions for Rights of Nautical Workers) team, consisting of students from the same Department of International Relations at Universitas Diponegoro which are Arini Emmanuella Riswanti, Izzatiddiena Nur Safira, I Gede Gohan Adiputra, Hizkia Abednego Pakpahan, and Ganendra Zhalifunnas Heda Oksaga were uccessfully held a workshop about MARINA Talks at the Lawangrejo Village Hall, Pemalang.

This event was attended by academics, BP3MI Central Java, IOM Indonesia, labour union organisations, representatives of migrant AKP, and the Lawangrejo Village community as a form of strengthening community participation in the protection of Migrant Fishing Crews (AKP) from Central Java.

In that presentation, the MARINA Team shared the results of field research on the situation of Migrant Fishing Crews (AKP) in the Central Java region, which showed that the majority of prospective migrant AKP had not received adequate information about labour rights, the risks of exploitation on foreign-flagged vessels, or case referral mechanisms.

The outputs, in the form of a Migrant AKP Protection Pocket Book, research reports, and digital publications @marina.initiative, were compiled to strengthen access to information for workers, their families, and the general public.

The panel discussion, which featured representatives from BP3MI Central Java, Perdana Anggit Prasetyo, and IOM Indonesia, Muhammad Yasser, then presented the concrete challenges that prospective migrant seafers have faced. Many migrant seafarers sign contracts without understanding their content or language, while information about placement costs is often not disclosed transparently.

Complaint mechanisms on foreign ships are also often not understood or difficult to access, resulting in delayed case handling. In addition, there is no easily accessible source of data for the public regarding problematic companies or a list of credible official agents. This situation shows that the provision of uniform, accurate, and easily accessible legal information is an urgent and unmet need.

The Pemalang P4MI coordinator, Perdana Anggit Prasetyo, representing BP3MI Central Java, emphasised that workers' understanding of all migration documents and the placement process must be a priority in order to minimise the potential for exploitation.

"Prospective AKP must clearly understand the documents, their rights, and all the consequences before departure. Misinformation is often a gateway to exploitation," his explained. He also stressed the need for integrated working relationships between village governments, support institutions, and placement companies to strengthen case management.

Another important narrative came from the perspective of community-based protection. Village governments are considered the frontline in protecting migrants as they are the starting point of the worker placement process. The panel discussion moderator emphasised that villages should not act alone but must have access to clear reference SOPs and a measurable network of support partners.

On the other hand, the role of international organisations and academics is also needed to ensure that risk education, worker rights advocacy, and psychosocial and economic recovery services for migrant workers after repatriation can be carried out sustainably. The results of this workshop will form the basis for improving the Migrant Worker Protection Pocket Book with a visual approach and language that is easier for coastal communities to understand.

Additionally, the MARINA Team will continue public education campaigns in village communities and support the development of government-based protection standard procedures at the village and district levels. These efforts aim to make Lawangrejo Village a model for community-based migrant worker protection that can be replicated in other coastal areas of Central Java.

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