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NGOs Urge Howard to Play Fair in Boundary Talks with East Timor
100 Groups Worldwide Call for Respect for Timor’s Sovereignty and Resources

Links to text of letter   signers     Australia's reply
            Bahasa Indonesia translation   Tetum translation

For Immediate Release
Contact: Charles Scheiner +(670)7234335 (East Timor)
          John M. Miller, +1-718-596-7668 (USA)

November 7, 2003 - A global coalition of non-governmental organizations today wrote Prime Minister John Howard of Australia urging his government to set a firm timetable for establishing a permanent maritime boundary between East Timor and Australia in upcoming negotiations.

“Throughout these negotiations, East Timor should be treated fairly and as a sovereign nation, with the same rights as Australia,” the letter says.

The letter, signed by representatives of 100 NGOs from 18 countries, was sent as the governments of Australia and East Timor prepare to begin preliminary talks on the maritime boundary on 12 November. The Howard government has thus far declined to accept a timetable or an end date for resolving the issue, despite repeated requests from the government of East Timor.

“At stake in these negotiations are East Timor's rights as an independent nation to establish national boundaries and to benefit from its own resources. This is indeed a test of Australia’s respect for East Timor’s right to genuine self-determination,” said John M. Miller of the East Timor Action Network, which coordinated the letter. “The world will judge Australia based on whether it tries to bully East Timor or treats it fairly and as a sovereign equal in these negotiations.”

The letter states that under current international legal principles, “the median line (half way between the coastlines of two countries) is the standard way to establish maritime exclusive economic zone (EEZ) boundaries when two countries are closer than 400 nautical miles to each other. If this international principle were applied, many of the oil and gas fields lying outside the Joint Petroleum Development Area [JPDA] but north of the median line would fall within East Timor's EEZ….”

Recognition of East Timor's right to these resources could mean as much as U.S. $30 billion in revenue over three decades for East Timor, the poorest country in Asia.

The letter says, “We have been troubled by your government's callous disregard for East Timor's sovereignty and rights, which seems contrary to the deep concern for East Timor expressed by so many Australians.” It warns that Australia “risks squandering the international goodwill Australia established since 1999," and that “Australia's own long-term national interests are best served by a stable and prosperous East Timor....”

“Without public pressure, Australia profits by waiting out the exhaustion of oil and natural gas resources before agreeing to a boundary, taking revenue rightfully belonging to East Timor. This is revenue that can help East Timor become independent of foreign donors and escape from dire poverty as Southeast Asia’s poorest country,” said Miller.

Several ‘interim’ resource-sharing agreements have been signed between Australia and East Timor. These agreements are derived from the illegal 1989 Timor Gap Treaty between Australia and Indonesia, which heavily favored Australia. Under these interim agreements, the largest amounts of what should be East Timor’s petroleum resources are excluded from the JPDA. These include the bulk of the Greater Sunrise field and the nearly-depleted Laminaria-Corallina field. Together they contain more petroleum than the Bayu Undan field, which is within the JPDA. Australia has taken possession of these resources outside the JPDA, although both countries claim them, and they would belong to East Timor under current international principles. Once a permanent boundary is established these agreements would have to be renegotiated.

horizontal rule

Text of letter

PO Box 15774, Washington, DC 20003 USA
etan@etan.org
November 7, 2003

The Hon John Howard MP
House of Representatives
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600 AUSTRALIA
Fax: (02) 6273 4100

Dear Prime Minister Howard:

We appreciate your government’s recent announcement that Australia will soon begin negotiations with East Timor on a permanent maritime boundary. We urge you to start these discussions in earnest by setting a firm timetable with the Government of Timor-Leste to establish a boundary within no more than three years. Throughout these negotiations, East Timor should be treated fairly and as a sovereign nation, with the same rights as Australia.

As you are no doubt aware, under legal principles established by case and statutory law under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the median line (half way between the coastlines of two countries) is the standard way to establish maritime exclusive economic zone (EEZ) boundaries when two countries are closer than 400 nautical miles to each other, as is the case with East Timor and Australia. If this international principle were applied, many of the oil and gas fields lying outside the Joint Petroleum Development Area but north of the median line would fall within East Timor's EEZ, including the lucrative Greater Sunrise field and the Laminaria-Corallina field, now nearly depleted without any revenue having gone to East Timor.

We trust you agree that every nation has the right to know where its territory ends and that of bordering countries begins. East Timor's independence will not be fully realized until its boundaries, both land and sea, are defined and accepted by its neighbors. We have been troubled by your government's callous disregard for East Timor's sovereignty and rights, which seems contrary to the deep concern for East Timor expressed by so many Australians. Australia's own long-term national interests are best served by a stable and prosperous East Timor; depriving East Timor of its petroleum birthright undercuts its chances to succeed as a nation.

We urge your government to rejoin international legal mechanisms to resolve boundary issues that cannot be settled by negotiation. Specifically, we urge Australia to accept the jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice for maritime boundary disputes and to rejoin the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, from which your government withdrew in March 2002. That withdrawal has been widely interpreted as a hostile act to deliberately prevent East Timor from using its legal rights in the event of your government's refusal to enter timely and cooperative boundary negotiations.

We appreciate Australia's recent support for East Timor's development and the crucial security role it played in 1999. Well-managed oil and gas resources in East Timor will greatly reduce the small nation's dependency on economic and security assistance. But under the interim arrangements promoted by your government, East Timor is providing more support to Australia in petroleum revenues than Australia has given or likely will give East Timor in foreign aid.

East Timor is among the poorest of the world's countries, suffering from very low levels of basic services and high unemployment. The quality of life for East Timor's present and future generations depends on a fair boundary agreement. Well-managed, these petroleum resources can be the basis for just and equitable economic development in East Timor. Australia's continuing violation of East Timor's right to enjoy all of its oil and natural gas resources risks squandering the international goodwill Australia established since 1999, and would be tantamount to yet another sellout of East Timor.

We thank you for your serious consideration of this most important matter. We will continue to monitor it closely and work to ensure its prominence in the international arena.

We look forward to your response.

Sincerely,

Signed by more than 100 NGOs from 19 countries

Australia

Dr. Tim Anderson, AID/WATCH

Dr. Andrew McNaughtan, Convenor, Australian East Timor Assn (NSW)

Rob Wesley-Smith, Spokesperson, Australians for a Free East Timor

Alex V Tilman, East Timor Students Association-Victoria University

Amanda Jackson, Manager, Forceten

Franceces Rule, Friends of Los Palos

Peter Phipps, Globalism Institute, RMIT University, Melbourne

Jeremy Liyanage, President, Noonga Reconciliation Group Inc

Helen Anderson, Social Justice Officer, The Sisters of the Good Samaritan

Peter Jennings, Executive Officer, Union Aid Abroad (APHEDA)

Bangladesh

Zakir Kibria, Executive Director, BanglaPraxis

Philip Gain, Director, Society for Environment and Human Development (SEHD)

Canada

Gilio Brunelli, Director, Development Programs Department Development and Peace

East Timor/Timor Leste

Carlos Florindo, Executive Director, East Timor Agriculture and Development Project Foundation (ETADEP)

Joaquim da Costa, Executive Director, East Timor NGO Forum

Marcelino Ximenes Magno, Director, Democracy and Social Change, East Timor Study Group

Eugenio Lemos, Director, East Timor Sustainable Agriculture (HASATIL) Hadomi Sustenabilidade Agricultura Timor Leste

Olandina Caeiro, Director, East Timor Women Against Violence Everywhere (ET-WAVE)

Manuela Leong Pereira, Executive Director, Fokupers (Forum Komunikasi untuk Perempuan Timor Lorosa’e)

Demetrio do Amaral de Carvalho, Executive Director, HABURAS Foundation

Maria Angelina Sarmento, Coordinator, Kadalak Sulimutuk Institute (KSI)

Jesuina Soares Cabral, Natural Resource Monitoring Team, La’o Hamutuk: The East Timor Institute for Reconstruction Monitoring and Analysis

Tito Akino, National Coordination Team, Men’s Association Against Violence (AMKV)

Laura Pina, National Coordination Team, National Movement Against Violence (MNKV)

Julino Ximenes da Silva, Policy Analysis Division, Perkumpulan HAK (Law, Rights and Justice)

Filomena Barros dos Reis, Co-director, Peace and Democracy Foundation

Mira Martins da Silva, Director, Pradet Timor Lorosa’e

Mario de Araùjo, Coordinator, Pro-Democracy Students' Movement (GMPD)

Nuno Rodrigues, Coordinator, Sahe Institute for Liberation

Germany

Dorothy Guerrero, Project Coordinator, Asienhaus

Honduras

Dr. Juan Almendares, Coordinator, Movimiento Madre Tierra

Indonesia

John Rumbiak, Supervisor, West Papuan Institute for Human Rights Study and Advocacy (ELSHAM)

Bustar Maitar, Direktur, PERDU - Papua

Andry Wijaya, Study dan Advokasi MIGAS (SE Oilwatch Network)/Database JATAM, JATAM (Jaringan Advokasi Tambang)

Aminuddin A. Kirom, Media and Publications Manager, JATAM - Jakarta

Baharuddin Demmu, Coordinator, Jatam Kaltim ( Jaringan Advokasi Tambang Kaltim )

Bonar Tigor Naipospos, Chairperson, SOLIDAMOR (Solidarity Without Borders)

Berry Nahdian Forqan, Direktur Eksekutif, Walhi Kalimantan Selatan

Rully Syumanda, Executive Director, WALHI Riau

Soleman, Campaign Coordinator, Walhi Sulteng

Dewa Gumay, Kadiv, Industrial Pollution and Mining Coordinator, WALHI Sumsel

Mahir Takaka, Program Coordinator, Yayasan Bumi Sawerigading

Muhammad Riza, Executive Director, Yayasan Duta Awam (YDA) Solo

Lahmuddin Yoto, Campaign Coordinator, Yayasan Tanah Merdeka, Palu

Japan

Kyo Kageura, Japan East Timor Coalition

Malaysia

Martin Khor, Director, Third World Network

Mozambique

Mauricio Sulila, Programme Officer, Livaningo

Netherlands

Pedro Pinto Leite, Secretary, International Platform of Jurists for East Timor

New Zealand

Peter Zwart, Programmes Manager, Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand

Zeferino Viegas Tilman, President, East Timorese Students Association-New Zealand (ETSA-NZ)

Maire Leadbeater, Indonesia Human Rights Committee

Nigeria

Nnimmo Bassey, Executive Director, Environmental Rights Action (ERA)

Dominic Totaro, S.J. Director, Jesuit Centre, Benin City

Papua New Guinea

Damien Ase, Executive Director, Center for Environmental Law and Community Rights Inc./Friends of Earth (PNG)

Philippines

Augusto Miclat, Jr., Coordinator, Asia-Pacific Coalition for East Timor (APCET)

Sweden

Gabriel Jonsson, Chairman, Swedish East Timor Committee

Thailand

S. Parasuraman, Asia Regional Policy Coordinator, ActionAid Asia

Penchom Saetang, Coordinator, Campaign for Alternative Industry Network (CAIN)

Ben Moxham, Researcher, Focus on the Global South

United Kingdom

Paul Barber, Director, TAPOL, The Indonesia Human Rights Campaign

United States

Vanessa Ramos, Secretary General American Association of Jurists

Kani Xulam, Director American Kurdish Information Network

Mishka Zaman, Manager, Asia Program Bank Information Center

Robert Doolittle, Boston Archdiocese Task Force for East Timor, Chairman, Saint Paul Parish Youth Community, Youth Director

Denny Larson, Director, Global Community Monitor, Community Environmental Monitoring – Worldwide and Coordinator Refinery Reform Campaign,

Stan De Boe, OSST, Director, Office of Justice & Peace, Conference of Major Superiors of Men

Stephen Hellinger, President, Development GAP

Roland Watson, Dictator Watch

Karen Orenstein, Washington Coordinator, East Timor Action Network

Rev. John Chamberlin, National Coordinator, East Timor Religious Outreach

Jackie Lynn, Executive Director, Episcopal Peace Fellowship

Robert Weissman, Co-Director, Essential Action

Soren Ambrose, Senior Policy Analyst, 50 Years Is Enough: U.S. Network for Global Economic Justice

Medea Benjamin, Co-founder, Global Exchange

Melinda Miles, Co-Director, Haiti Reborn/Quixote Center

Mary Anne Mercer, DrPH, Deputy Director, Health Alliance International

Robert G. Pedersen, Trade and Labor Coordinator, Indiana Alliance for Democracy

Joseph K. Grieboski, President, Institute on Religion and Public Policy

Chuck Warpehoski, Director, Interfaith Council for Peace and Justice

Bama Athreya, Deputy Director, International Labor Rights Fund

Aviva Imhof, Director, Southeast Asia Program, International Rivers Network

Sharon Silber, Co-founder, Jews Against Genocide

Marie Lucey, OSF, Associate Director for Social Mission, Leadership Conference of Women Religious

Diane Farsetta, Coordinator, Madison-Ainaro Sister City Alliance

James Kofski, M.M., Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns

Diana Bohn, Co-Coordinator Nicaragua Center for Community Action

Katherine Hoyt, National Co-Coordinator, Nicaragua Network

Michael Beer, Director, Nonviolence International

William H. Towe, Coordinator, North Carolina Peace Action, North Carolina Peace Action Education Fund

Mary Anne Mercer, Co-chair, Northwest International Health Action Coalition (NIHAC)

Chuck LaMark, Founder, Our Children’s Village International

David Robinson, National Coordinator, Pax Christi USA

Kevin Martin, Executive Director, Peace Action

Ivan Suvanjieff, President, PeaceJam Foundation

John Witeck, Coordinator, Philippine Workers Support Committee

Gopal Dayaneni, Project Underground

Staff Collective, School of the Americas Watch

Peace and Justice Interest Group, Shalom Community Church of Ann Arbor

Lhadon Tethong, Executive Director, Students for a Free Tibet

Jan Lundberg, Sustainable Energy Institute

Mike Amitay, Executive Director, Washington Kurdish Institute

Jennifer Carr, Coordinator, Washington Peace Center

The Australian government replied within days:

Click on the thumbnail at left to see the actual response letter, which reads as follows:

    Australian Government
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet

TELEPHONE: (02)6271 5111                    3-5 NATIONAL CIRCUIT
FACSIMILE: (02)6271 5414                    CANBERRA, A.C.T. 2600

Dr Tim Anderson
AID/WATCH
PO Box 15774
Washington DC 20003

Dear Dr Anderson

Thank you for your letter of 7 November 2003 to the Prime Minister regarding Australia's maritime boundary with East Timor. The Prime Minister has asked me to reply on his behalf.

The Australian Government is committed to helping the East Timorese to build a peaceful, democratic and independent East Timor, including through its significant bilateral aid programme and as a major contributor to UN efforts in East Timor. As you note in your letter, Australia has also made a public commitment to enter negotiations with East Timor to delimit our maritime boundaries with East Timor, as set out in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. However, Australia's experience of delimiting maritime boundaries is that the process is long and complex. Based on this experience, the Australian Government does not think it sensible to set an end-date for the process.

The government has no plans to revisit its decision in March 2002 to no longer accept the jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice and the other dispute settlement mechanisms under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea in relation to its maritime boundaries. Australia's strong view is that any maritime boundary dispute is best settled by negotiation rather than litigation. Negotiations are by their nature conducive to an outcome acceptable to both sides, whereas litigation can produce a result that satisfies neither.

Thank you for bringing your concerns to the Prime Minister's attention.

Yours sincerely
/s/
Simeon Gilding
Assistant Secretary
Asia, Americas & Trade Branch
12 November 2003

Bahasa Indonesia translation of letter

PO Box 15774, Washington, DC 20003 USA
Email: etan@etan.org
7 Nopember 2003

Yth Perdana Menteri Howard,
House of Representative
Parliament House Canberra ACT 2600 Australia
Fax (02) 6273 4100

Yang Terhormat Perdana Menteri Howard:

Kami menghargai pengumuman pemerintahan Anda baru-baru ini bahwa Australia akan segera memulai negosiasi dengan Timor Leste mengenai Perbatasan Perairan yang Permanen. Kami mendesak Anda untuk memulai negosiasi tersebut dengan bersungguh-sungguh dengan menentukan jadwal yang tetap dengan Pemerintah Timor Leste untuk menetapkan perbatasan dalam waktu tidak lebih dari 3 tahun. Selama negosiasi tersebut, Timor Leste harus diperlakukan dengan adil dan sebagai sebuah negara yang berdaulat, dengan hak yang sama dengan Australia.

Seperti yang sudah Anda sadari tanpa keragu-raguan, menurut prinsip-prinsip hukum yang ditetapkan berdasarkan kasus-kasus hukum dan hukum tertulis di bawah Konvensi Hukum Laut PBB (UNCLOS), garis tengah (setengah jarak antara 2 garis pantai dari 2 negara) merupakan cara standar untuk menetapkan perbatasan Zona Ekonomi Ekslusif (ZEE) perairan jika kedua negara yang bersangkutan berjarak kurang dari 400 mil laut, seperti dalam kasus Timor Leste dan Australia. Jika prinsip internasional ini diterapkan, ladang-ladang minyak dan gas yang terletak di luar Wilayah Pengembangan Minyak Bersama (JPDA), tetapi terletak di sebelah utara garis tengah termasuk dalam ZEE Timor Leste, termasuk di dalamnya ladang minyak Greater Sunrise dan Laminaria-Carollina yang sekarang hampir habis persediaan minyaknya tanpa menghasilkan pendapatan bagi Timor Leste.

Kami percaya Anda setuju bahwa setiap bangsa berhak mengetahui dimana wilayahnya berakhir dan permulaan batas-batas wilayahnya. Kemerdekaan Timor Leste belum benar-benar terwujud sebelum batas-batas wilayahnya, baik darat maupun laut, ditentukan dan diterima oleh negara-negara tetangganya. Kami telah mengalami persoalan atas tindakan pemerintah Anda yang mengabaikan hak-hak dan kedaulatanTimor Leste di mana tindakan tersebut tampaknya bertentangan dengan keprihatinan rakyat Australia yang mendalam bagi rakyat Timor Leste. Kepentingan nasional jangka panjang Australia sendiri terpenuhi dengan baik oleh negara Timor Leste yang stabil dan sejahtera; mencabut Timor Leste atas haknya terhadap sumber alam minyak menghapuskan kesempatan Timor Leste untuk berhasil sebagai sebuah bangsa.

Kami mendesak pemerintah Anda untuk mengikuti kembali mekanisme hukum internasional dalam proses penyelesaian masalah perbatasan yang tidak dapat diselesaikan melalui jalur negosiasi. Khususnya, kami mendesak Australia untuk menerima yurisdiksi Pengadilan Internasional untuk Keadilan (ICJ) mengenai perselisihan perbatasan perairan dan mentaati Pengadilan Internasional dalam hal Hukum Laut, di mana pemerintah Anda mengundurkan diri dari kedua badan hukum internasional tersebut pada bulan Maret 2002. Pengunduran diri tersebut secara luas diartikan sebagai tindakan permusuhan yang dengan sengaja menghalangi Timor Leste menggunakan hak-hak hukumnya pada saat pemerintah Anda menolak untuk mengikuti pembahasan perbatasan dengan kerja sama dan tepat waktu.

Kami menghargai dukungan Australia baru-baru ini terhadap pembangunan ekonomi Timor Leste dan peran penting Australia dalam bidang keamanan pada tahun 1999. Sumber alam minyak dan gas di Timor Leste yang dikelola dengan baik akan mengurangi ketergantungan bangsa ini pada bantuan ekonomi dan keamanan. Tetapi di bawah persetujuan sementara yang dipromosikan oleh Pemerintah Australia, Timor Leste menyediakan lebih banyak bantuan kepada Australia dalam bentuk devisa dari minyak daripada bantuan yang telah diberikan Pemerintah Australia ataupun yang akan diberikan Australia kepada Timor Leste yang berupa bantuan asing.

Timor Leste merupakan salah satu negara termiskin di dunia dengan tingkat pelayanan-pelayanan dasar sangat rendah dan tingkat pengangguran sangat tinggi. Kualitas hidup rakyat Timor Leste saat ini dan generasi mendatang tergantung pada persetujuan perbatasan yang adil. Jika dikelola dengan baik, sumber alam minyak dapat menjadi dasar pembangunan ekonomi yang adil dan layak di Timor Leste. Pelanggaran Australia terhadap hak Timor Leste secara terus-menerus untuk menikmati sumber alam minyak dan gas Timor Leste beresiko menyia-nyiakan niat baik Australia yang telah dilakukan sejak 1999, dan akan menyerupai pengkhianatan terhadap Timor Leste.

Kami berterima kasih atas pertimbangan serius Anda terhadap hal yang terpenting ini. Kami akan terus mengawasi secara cermat dan berusaha keras untuk memastikan bahwa masalah ini akan tetap menjadi perhatian internasional.

Kami mengharapkan tanggapan Anda.

Hormat kami,

Australia

Dr. Tim Anderson AID/WATCH

Dr. Andrew McNaughtan, Convenor Assosiasi Masyarakat-Australia (NSW)

Rob Wesley-Smith, Juru Bicara Masyarakat Australia untuk Kemerdekaan Timor Leste

Alex V Tilman Asosiasi Mahasiswa Timor Leste-Universitas Victoria

Amanda Jackson, Manajer Forceten

Franceces Rule Kawan-Kawan Los Palos

Peter Phipps Globalism Institute, Universitas RMIT, Melbourne

Jeremy Liyanage, Presiden Group Perusahaan Rekonsiliasi Noonga

Helen Anderson, Staf Keadilan Sosial The Sisters of the Good Samaritan

Peter Jennings, Pejabat Eksekutif Union Aid Abroad (APHEDA)

Bangladesh

Zakir Kibria, Direktur Eksekutif BanglaPraxis

Philip Gain, Direktur Masyarakat untuk Pembangunan Lingkungan dan Manusia (SEHD)

Kanada

Gilio Brunelli, Director, Program-Program Pembangunan, Departemen Pembangunan dan Perdamaian

Timor Leste

Carlos Florindo, Direktur Eksekutif Yayasan Proyek Pertanian dan Pembangunan Timor Leste (ETADEP)

Joaquim da Costa, Direktur Eksekutif NGO Forum Timor Leste

Marcelino Ximenes Magno, Direktur Demokrasi dan Perubahan Sosial East Timor Study Group (ETSG)

Eugenio Lemos, Direktur Hadomi Sustenabilidade Agricultura Timor Leste (HASATIL)

Olandina Caeiro, Direktur East Timor Women Against Violence Everywhere (ET-WAVE)

Manuela Leong Pereira, Direktur Eksekutif Fokupers (Forum Komunikasi untuk Perempuan Timor Lorosa’e)

Demetrio do Amaral de Carvalho, Direktur Eksekutif HABURAS Foundation

Maria Angelina Sarmento, Koordinator Kadalak Sulimutuk Institute (KSI)

Jesuina Soares Cabral, Tim Pengawasan Sumber Daya Alam La’o Hamutuk: Instituto Timor Lorosa’e ba Analiza no Monitor Rekonstrusaun

Tito Akino, Tim Koordinasi Nasional Asosiasi Mane Kontra Violencia (AMKV)

Laura Pina, Tim Koordinasi Nasional Moviento Nasional Kontra Violencia (MNKV)

Julino Ximenes da Silva, Divisi Analisa Kebijakan Perkumpulan HAK (Hukum, Hak, dan Keadilan)

Filomena Barros dos Reis, Co-direktur Yayasan Perdamaian dan Demokrasi

Mira Martins da Silva, Direktur Pradet Timor Lorosa’e

Mario de Araùjo, Koordinator Gerakan Mahasiswa Pro-Demokrasi (GMPD)

Nuno Rodrigues, Koordinator Sahe Institute for Liberation

Jerman

Dorothy Guerrero, Koordinator Proyek Asienhaus

Honduras

Dr. Juan Almendares, Coordinator Movimiento Madre Tierra

Indonesia

John Rumbiak, Supervisor Institut Hak Asasi Manusia dan Advokasi West Papua (ELSHAM)

Bustar Maitar, Direktur PERDU - Papua

Andry Wijaya, Studi dan Advokasi MIGAS (SE Oilwatch Network)/Database JATAM JATAM (Jaringan Advokasi Tambang)

Aminuddin A. Kirom, Manajer Media dan Publikasi JATAM - Jakarta

Baharuddin Demmu, Koordinator Jatam Kaltim ( Jaringan Advokasi Tambang Kaltim )

Bonar Tigor Naipospos, ketua SOLIDAMOR (Solidarity Without Borders)

Berry Nahdian Forqan, Direktur Eksekutif Walhi Kalimantan Selatan

Rully Syumanda, Direktur Eksekutif WALHI Riau

Soleman, Koordinator Kampanye Walhi Sulteng

Dewa Gumay, Kadiv, Koordinator Pertambangan dan Polusi Industri WALHI Sumsel

Mahir Takaka, Program Koordinator Yayasan Bumi Sawerigading

Muhammad Riza, Direktur Eksekutif Yayasan Duta Awam (YDA) Solo

Lahmuddin Yoto, Koordinator Kampanye Yayasan Tanah Merdeka, Palu

Jepang

Kyo Kageura Koalisi Jepang dan Timor Leste

Malaysia

Martin Khor, Direktur Third World Network

Mozambique

Mauricio Sulila, Staf Program Livaningo

Belanda

Pedro Pinto Leite, Sekretaris International Platform of Jurists for East Timor

Selandia Baru

Peter Zwart, Program Manajer Caritas Aotearoa, Selandia Baru

Zeferino Viegas Tilman, Presiden Asosiasi Mahasiswa Timor Leste -New Zealand (ETSA-NZ)

Maire Leadbeater Komite Hak Asasi Manusia Indonesia

Nigeria

Nnimmo Bassey, Direktur Eksekutif Aksi Hak-hak Lingkungan (ERA)

Dominic Totaro, S.J. Direktur, Jesuit Centre, Kota Benin

Papua Nugini

Damien Ase, Direktur Eksekutif Lembaga untuk Hukum Lingkungan dan Hak-hak Komunitas/Friends of Earth (PNG)

Filipina

Augusto Miclat, Jr., coordinator Koalisi Asia-Pasifik untuk Timor Leste (APCET)

Swedia

Gabriel Jonsson, Ketua Komite Masyarakat Swedia-Timor Leste

Thailand

S. Parasuraman, Koordinator Kebijakan Wilayah Asia ActionAid Asia

Penchom Saetang, Koordinator Kampanye untuk Jaringan Kerja Industri Alternatif (CAIN)

Ben Moxham Focus on the Global South

Inggris

Paul Barber, Direktur TAPOL, Kampanye Hak Asasi Manusia Indonesia

Amerika Serikat

Vanessa Ramos, Sekretaris Umum Asosiasi Hakim Masyarakat Amerika

Kani Xulam, Direktur Jaringan Kerja Informasi Masyarakat Amerika Kurdish

Mishka Zaman, Manajer, Program Asia Lembaga Bank Informasi

Robert Doolittle Boston Archdiocese Task Force for East Timor, Ketua Saint Paul Parish Youth Community, Direktur Pemuda

Denny Larson, Direktur Pengawas Masyarakat Global Pengawasan Lingkungan Komunitas-Seluruh Dunia dan Koordinator Kampanye Pembaharuan Kilang Minyak, Kampanye Nasional untuk Pembersihan Kilang-Kilang Minyak Amerika Serikat

Stan De Boe, OSST, Direktur, Kantor Keadilan dan Perdamaian Conference of Major Superiors of Men

Stephen Hellinger, Presiden Development GAP

Roland Watson Dictator Watch

Karen Orenstein, Koordinator Kantor Washington Jaringan Aksi Timor Leste (ETAN)

Rev. John Chamberlin, Koordinator Nasional East Timor Religious Outreach

Jackie Lynn, Direktur Eksekutif Episcopal Peace Fellowship

Robert Weissman, Co-Direktur Essential Action

Soren Ambrose, Senior Policy Analyst 50 Tahun adalah Cukup: Jaringan Kerja Amerika Serikat untuk Keadilan Ekonomi Seluruh Dunia

Medea Benjamin, Co-Pendiri Global Exchange

Melinda Miles, Co-Direktur Haiti Reborn/Quixote Center

Mary Anne Mercer, DrPH, Wakil Direktur Aliansi Kesehatan Internasional

Robert G. Pedersen, Koordinator Perdagangan dan Perburuhan Indiana Alliance for Democracy

Joseph K. Grieboski, Presiden Institute on Religion and Public Policy

Chuck Warpehoski, Direktur Interfaith Council for Peace and Justice

Bama Athreya, Wakil Direktur International Labor Rights Fund

Aviva Imhof, Direktur, Program Asia Tenggara International Rivers Network

Sharon Silber, co-Pendiri Jews Against Genocide

Marie Lucey, OSF, Direktur Pembantu untuk Misi Sosial Leadership Conference of Women Religious

Diane Farsetta, Koordinator Madison-Ainaro Sister City Alliance

James Kofski, M.M. Kantor Maryknoll Untuk Perhatian Seluruh Dunia

Diana Bohn, Co-Koordinator Lembaga Nicaragua untuk Aksi Komunitas

Katherine Hoyt, Co-Koordinator Nasional Jaringan Kerja Nicaragua

Michael Beer, Direktur Anti Kekerasan Internasional

William H. Towe, Koordinator Aksi Perdamaian North Carolina Dana Pendidikan Aksi Perdamaian North Carolina

Mary Anne Mercer, Wakil Ketua Koalisi Aksi Kesehatan Internasional Northwest (NIHAC)

Chuck LaMark, Pendiri Desa Internasional Anak-anak Kita

David Robinson, Koordinator Nasional Pax Christi, Amerika Serikat

Kevin Martin, Direktur Eksekutif Aksi Perdamaian

Ivan Suvanjieff, Presiden Yayasan PeaceJam

John Witeck, Koordinator Komite Pendukung Pekerja Filippina

Gopal Dayaneni Proyek Bawah Tanah

Staf Bersama School of the Americas Watch

Peace and Justice Interest Group Masyarakat Gereja Shalom Ann Arbor

Lhadon Tethong, Direktur Eksekutif Mahasiswa untuk Kemerdekaan Tibet

Jan Lundberg Institut Energi Berkelanjutan

Mike Amitay, Direktur Eksekutif Institut Washington Kurdish

Jennifer Carr, Koordinator Lembaga Perdamaian Washington

Tetum translation of letter

PO Box 15774, Washington, DC 20003 USA
 Novembru 7, 2003

Ex. John Howard MP
Uma Representante-sira
Parliamentu Canberra ACT 2600
Fax: (02) 6273 4100

Ho respeitu ba Ita-boot Primeiru Ministru Howard:

Ami hotu kompriende Ita-boot nia governu nia deklarasaun foun agora katak Australia sei lalais hahu negosiu hamutuk ho Timor-Leste knoaba fronteira tasi permantente. Ami ejize Ita-boot atu hahu diskusaun hirak nee looloos uluklai harii orariu metin ida hamutuk ho Governu Timor-Leste atubele estabelese froneira lamenus liu fali tinan tolu ba oin. Tuir fali laran negosiu hirak nee, Timor-Leste tenke trata justu no mos nudar nasaun soberania, ho direitu hanesan Australia nian.

Hanesan Ita-boot sei konsiente ona, iha okos prinsipiu legál estabelese tiha ona tuir lei estatutu no kazu nian iha okos Nasaun Unidads nia Kompre-Promesa kona ba Lei Tasi (UNCLOS), linha iha klaran (distansia fahe ba rua entre tasi sorin rain rua nian) mak dalan estandardu atubele estabelese fronteira ba zona esklusivu ekonomiku (ZEE) bainhira rain rua mak besik liu milha maritimu 400 ba malu, nudar kazu Australia no Timor-Leste nian. Se karik prinsipiu internasional nee mak aplika tiha ona, barak liu kampu minas-rai no gas nebe iha liur Area Desenvolvimentu Minas-rai Hamutuk maibe norde husi linha iha klaran sei nafatin hela iha Timor-Leste nia ZEE, inklui kampu ‘Greater Sunrise’ nebe fo lukra boot no mos kampu Laminaria-Corallina, nebe agora daudaun besik mamook ona laho rendimentu-ida ba Timor-Leste.

Ami fiar katak Ita-boot konkorde katak nasaun ida idak iha direitu atu hatene iha nebe nia teritoriu para no rain nebe hela besik komesa. Timor-Leste ninia independensia looloos sei la aktualiza tomak to’o nia fronteira, rua hotu rai no tasi mak define tiha ona, no mos simu ba nia viziñu-sira. Ami mak hanoin barak Ita-boot nia governnu nia desrespeita ho laran-metan ba Timor-Leste nia soberania no direitus, nebe ami hateke hetan oposto ba hanoin barak boot ba Timor-Leste nebe Australianu-sira barak hatoo. Australia nia interese longu prazu rasik mak sei serve diak liu hotu se karik Timor-Leste mak nasaun ida ho establidade no rahun-kmanek; (des)privasaun Timor-Leste ba nia direitu-hamoris ba minas-rai nee estraga nia oportunidade atu hetan susesu nudar nasaun-ida.

Ami ejize Ita-boot nia governu atu hamutuk filafali ba mekanizmu legal internasional atubele rezolve lias fronteira nebe labele tesi-lia tuir fali negosiasaun. Espesifiku, Ami ejize Australia atu aseita/simu jurisdisaun Tribunal Internasional Justicia ba haksesuk-malu maritimu no mos tama fali ba Tribunal Internasional ba Lei Tasi, husi iha nebe Ita-boot nia governu halai husik iha Marzu 2002. Aksaun atu husik halai nee mak hateke hetan jeralmente nudar aktu si’ak/(hostil) halo ho intensaun atu prevene Timor-Leste atubele uza nia direitu legal iha akontesimentu Ita-boot nia governu lakohi tama ba negosiu fronteira apropriadu tuir tempu no mos ho espiritu kooperativu.

Ami fo agredese Australia nia apoiu foun agora ba Timor-Leste nia desenvolvimentu no mos knar seguransa kritiku nebe halo iha 1999. Rekursus minas-rai no gas nebe maneja diak sei hamenus nasaun kiik nee nia dependensia ba asistensia ekonomiku nu seguransa. Maibe iha okos akordus provizorio nebe Ita-boot nia governu promove, nunee duni, Timor-Leste mak fo apoiu barak liu ba Australia iha termu rendimentu minas-rai duke fali Australia mak fo ona, no mos nebe Australia bele fo ba Timor-Leste iha forma tulun estranjeiru abanbainrua.

Timor-Leste mak nafatin hela iha mondial nia rain kiak liu hotu nia leet, hasoru ho terus nivel servisus baziku kik liu hotu, no mos desempregamentu barak. Moris kdiak ba Timor-Leste nia derasaun agora daudaun no abanbainrua depende duni ba konkordansia fronteira justu-ida. Karik maneja didiak, rekursus hirak nee bele sai bazeia ba desenvolvimentu justu no ekuitavel iha Timor-Leste. Australia nia violasaun kontinuu ba Timor-Leste nia direitu atu simu kontente nia rekursus minas-rai no gas naturál tomak halo perigu atu estraga laran kmanek internasional nebe Australia harii husi 1999, no mos sei reprezenta katak Australia faan dala ida tan Timor-Leste nia soberania atu Autralia bele proveita ba nia an.

Ami fo obrigado boot ba Ita-boot nia konsiderasaun seiru ba lia importante liu hotu. Ami sei nafatin kontinua atu tau-matan lia nee no mos sei servisu atu hamein nia importansia iha arena internasional.

Ami buka hare ba oin atu simu Ita-boot nia resposta,

Ho respeitu,

The Timor-Leste Institute for Development Monitoring and Analysis (La’o Hamutuk)
Institutu Timor-Leste ba Analiza no Monitor ba Dezenvolvimentu
Rua D. Alberto Ricardo, Bebora, Dili, Timor-Leste
P.O. Box 340, Dili, Timor-Leste
Tel: +670-3321040 or +670-77234330
email: info@laohamutuk.org    Web: http://www.laohamutuk.org    Blog: laohamutuk.blogspot.com