Timor Leste Border Issue: Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia

By Wombat | February 18th, 2006 | No Comments

As if it isn’t bad enough that Australia is ripping off East Timor, now there is a dispute between Indonesia and Timor Leste over an area of sea.

President asked to discuss border
KUPANG, East Nusa Tenggara: Activists are calling on President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to be proactive on

Timor Leste’s claim over a sea area disputed by Indonesia.
The area in question is off the south coast of Timor island near the Timor Gap oil and gas blocks. Timor Leste

President Xanana Gusmao and Yudhoyono will meet to discuss a handful of issues in Bali this Friday.

Director of a group calling itself the West Timor Care Foundation, Ferdi Tanoni, claimed in a press release that Timor Leste had violated international maritime laws by extending its maritime zone without Indonesia’s approval.

“Xanana needs to give an explanation to (Yudhoyono) as to why they extended Timor Leste’s maritime zone by taking 50 miles (about 80 kilometers) of the country’s waters,” Ferdi stated.

Ferdi said the maritime issue was crucial because it related to the rights of Indonesian residents. “At present, there’s no fixed maritime border between Indonesia, Timor Leste and Australia in the Timor Sea,” he explained.

Domestic media reports have made allegations to the effect that Timor Leste is encroaching upon Indonesia’s maritime zone off the southern coast of Belu regency on the Indonesian half of Timor island. The expansion of Timor Leste’s maritime zone was reached in a recent agreement between Timor Leste and Australia.

Critics in this country have said the signing of that agreement was part of Timor Leste’s efforts to “undercut” Indonesia’s bargaining position in the Timor Gap, which is rich in oil and gas reserves, especially the Laminaria and Bayu-Undan blocks, which are located in waters claimed by Indonesia.