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.

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 .

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