CIITT statement for Australia Day 2004
Centro Informasaun Independente ba Tasi Timor (CIITT)
(Independent Center for Timor Sea Information)
Rua Governador Celestino da Silva Farol-Dili, PO Box 390
Phone: 723 2851 (Demetrio), 7253082 (Ernesto)
Email: Maulapa@yahoo.com
Dili, 26 January 2004
Press Statement
The Independent Information Center on Timor Sea (CIITT)
congratulates the people and the Government of Australia on
Australia Day. CIITT understands that Australia Day is also a moment
for the people and the Government of Australia to reflect on the
meaning of independence to all people of different ethnicities and
races in Australia, both the indigenous people as well as the
newcomers.
On this occasion, it is important to reflect on the relationship
of Australia and East Timor in the past. Australia was the only
country to give official recognition to Indonesia’s rule in East
Timor, which was established for over 20 years through various types
of violations of the fundamental rights of the East Timorese.
Although it refused to acknowledge its complicity in the denial of
the rights of the East Timorese for independence, the Government of
Australia has taken an important corrective action in its foreign
policy with regards to the case of East Timor, right at the end of
Indonesian occupation in East Timor. Australia had actively
participated in the international effort to secure the result of the
Popular Consultation organized by the United Nations in East Timor.
Furthermore, Australia has also recognized Democratic Republic of
Timor Leste as an independent and sovereign nation, through the
presence of the Prime Minister John Howard and Foreign Minister
Alexander Downer during the celebration of Independence of East
Timor and the opening of its Diplomatic Mission in East Timor. Such
recognition, however, has not been reflected in all aspects of
Australia’s relationship with East Timor. In order to control the
largest part of the oil and gas rich Timor Sea, Australia maintains
the application of previous treaties on maritime boundary, which
were signed with the occupying power in East Timor. The previous
treaties of maritime boundary delimitation have been based on the
outdated continental shelf principle, and not on the 1982 UN
Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Having rejected the
jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) as a
settlement mechanism for the dispute on maritime boundaries with
East Timor, Australia has demonstrated an arrogant attitude in the
negotiation on the matter.
Such attitude reflects Australia’s politics of double standard in
its recognition of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of RDTL,
and is a denial of the right of the East Timorese to use their
resources to develop as an independent nation. The Government of
Australia commits this shameless action just as East Timor is
catching up on its development, after centuries of colonial
obstruction.
For a civilized and equal relationship to flourish between the
people and the Governments of the two nations, CIITT urges:
1. The Government of Australia to take concrete measures in an
effort to delimit a permanent boundary with RDTL within 3-5 years;
2. The United Nations and the international community to urge the
Government of Australia to recognize the full sovereignty of the
people of East Timor over their national territory;
3. The people of Australia to put pressure on its government to
take a civilized stance in the negotiation of maritime boundary with
East Timor, in accordance with UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.
With Compliments,
CIITT
Members of CIITT: Perkumpulan HAK, Haburas Foundation, Fokupers,
Lao Hamutuk, ETSG, GMPD, CEGETIL, KSI, KSTL, Laifet, NGO Forum
Advocacy division and individuals concerned with the issue.
See http://www.etan.org/issues/tsea.htm
for additional info
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