Timor-Leste Civil Society demands a fair Maritime Boundary
Civil Society Organizations in Timor-Leste have followed the negotiation process concerning Timor Sea oil, held in
Canberra and Darwin, Australia, last month. It has come to our attention that Governments of both Timor-Leste and
Australia do not want to further discuss the Maritime Boundary, but have opted instead to discuss only distribution of
money from natural resources, which both governments euphemistically call a "creative solution".
The signatories of this statement, civil society of Timor-Leste, would like to present our opinions, which we believe
are important to express. While we feel it is important that both governments heed our opinions, they are directed
especially towards the government of Timor-Leste.
Based on prior knowledge concerning negotiations, we strongly encourage the governments of Timor-Leste and Australia to:
1. urge the negotiators who, at this moment, are discussing the future of the people of Timor-Leste, to respect the
national sovereignty of the Democratic Republic of Timor- Leste, and quickly set the maritime boundary between the two
countries according to current international legal principles.
2. urge Australia, in connection with point 1, to return to the International Court of Justice and the International
Tribunal of the Law of the Sea in order to solve international disputes of maritime boundaries.
3. Greater Sunrise should be East Timor's territory, development can not be started until a boundary or IUA is in place.
We condemn pressure exerted by Woodside Oil Company to quickly begin exploitation in this area.
4. stop the exploitation of Laminaria-Corallina and other oil fields in disputed territory. This includes halting the
issue of new licenses. It would be sensible and fair to put revenues from such fields in an escrow fund to be divided
fairly once a boundary agreement is reached.
We strongly urge the government of Timor-Leste to give priority to the Maritime Boundary discussions rather than
negotiating the division of resources with a government that is stealing natural resources that rightfully belong to
Timor-Leste.
HAK Association, Haburas Foundation, La'o Hamutuk, Sahe Institute for Liberation (SIL), Kdalak Sulimutu Institute (KSI),
Timor-Leste Community Radio Association (ARKTL), Judicial System Monitoring Program, KSTL, LAIFET, FOKUPERS, Forum Tau
Matan (FTM), Timor-Leste Students Association.
Dili October 27 2004
for more information please contact: 670-7245063
Tomas Freitas
laohamutuk@easttimor.minihub.org
Konferensia da Impressa
SOSIEDADE SIVIL TIMOR-LESTE
ejizi fronteira maritima mak justu
Nudar Orgaun Sosiedade Sivil iha Timor-Leste, nebee mak akompanha prosessu negosiasaun iha Camberra no Darwin Australia
fulan kotuk. tuir informasaun katak Governo Timor-Leste no Governo Australia la kohi atu kolia kona ba Fronteira
Maritima, maibe prefere liu kolia kona ba fahe osan husi rekursus naturais deit, nebee governo nain rua nee hanaran
"solusaun kreativa". ami Sosiedade sivil Timor-Leste, hamutuk ho sira neebe fo sai deklarasaun nee, hakarak hatoo ami
nian hanoin nebe'e ami senti nesisidade tebes ba nasaun ida nee. Ami hakarak fo hanoin ba Governo nain rua, liu-liu
Governo ami nian, Governo Republika Demokratika Timor-Leste.
Bazeia ba dadus nebe'e ami hatene kona ba prosesu negosiasaun, mak tuir mai ne'e ami ezije Governo Timor-Leste ho
Australia atu halo buat hirak tuir mai nee:
1. Husu ba Negosiador/negosiadora sira hotu mak agora dadaun nee tur no diskuti hela povo Timor- Leste nian futuru, atu
respeitu Soberania Nasional Republika Demokratika Timor-Leste, no desidi lalais fronteira maritima tuir Prinsipiu Legal
Internasional.
2. Husu ba Australia fila ba prosesu rezolusaun disputa internasional ba fronteira maritima husi Tribunal Internasional
ba Justisa no Tribunal Internasional ba Lei Tasi.
3. Greater Sunrise tuir lolos partensi ba Timor-Leste nian teritoriu, dezenvolvimento la bele lao lai too fronteira ka
IUA defini. Ami la konkorda wainhira kompania Woodside obriga atu eksploita lalais area neba.
4. Hatuka (Hapara) esplorasaun Laminaria-Corallina no kampu seluk tan iha teritoriu desputada, inklui fo lisensa foun.
Tau osan hirak neebe hetan husi kampu hirak nee iha konta netral ida, hodi nunee bele fahe justu Wainhira Fronteira
determina ona.
Dala ida tan husu ba Governo Timor-Leste hodi fo prioridade ba diskuti Fronteira Maritima, duke kolia kona ba fahe
rekurso ho NAUKTEN mak naok ita nian riku soin.
Asosiasaun HAK, , La'o Hamutuk, Sahe Institute for Liberation (SIL), Fundasaun Haburas, Kdalak Sulimutu Institute (KSI),
Asosiasaun Radio Komunidade Timor-Leste (ARKTL), Asosiasaun Estudante Timor-Leste, Judicial System Monitoring Program
(JSMP), KSTL, FOKUPERS, RENETIL, Forum Tau matan .
Dili 27 Oktober 2004