Australia Must Stop Exploration in Timor Sea
Kupang,29 July 2020.The Australian Federal Government recently opened a consultation process related to the 2020 Exploration of the Petroleum Land.The Australian Government states that this 'is an important part of the Australian Government's strategy to encourage oil exploration in Australian offshore waters' and that they seek to 'balance environmental, social and economic considerations in the development of Australia's natural resources.'
On 29 June 2020 we jointly submitted an objection to the Australian Government, the West Timor Care Foundation and the Australian Jubilee Research Center, this was revealed by the Chair of the West Timor Care Foundation, Ferdi Tanoni in Kupang on Wednesday 29 July 2020.
The following is a summary of the proposed Australian Government release territories for offshore oil exploration in the Timor sea:
• The proposed release areas for AC20-1, AC20-2, AC20-3, are located about 150 kilometers from the Indonesian coastline, specifically, Rote Island and the south coast of West Timor. The proposed release area is even closer to the Indonesian coast line than the existing area, and closer to the Indonesian coastline than the Australian coastline.
• The proposed AC20-6 release area is closest to Ashmore Reef, a marine park, and a designated area based on a bilateral agreement with Indonesia regarding Indonesian traditional fishermen.
• The proposed release area for AC20-1, AC20-2, AC20-3, close to Indonesian fishing areas located in Indonesian waters, which is a source of livelihood for thousands of fishermen from East Nusa Tenggara.
Relating with this, I hereby submit the reasons that have been recommended that any decision to release the location of a further area that carries a risk of significant cross-border damage to Indonesian coastal communities must be postponed until:
• There has been an appropriate consultation regarding the proposed opening of the area with Indonesia; and
• Appropriate and clear cross-border arrangements and processes have been made with AMSA, DFAT and GoI agencies; and
• The Australian Government is committed to working appropriately with the Indonesian government to properly fund an investigation into the ongoing damage report in East Nusa Tenggara as a result of the Montara oil disaster.
Besides that, in the waters of the Timor Sea around the Gugusan Pulau Pasir is an area that does not yet have the ownership rights of Australia based on the 1997 RI-Australia Agreement on Exclusive Economic Zones and Certain Sea Boundaries, where this agreement has never been ratified and even until now.
We urge the Government of Indonesia in this matter the Indonesian Foreign Minister,Retno Marsudi to immediately cancel the RI-Australia Treaty signed by Alexander Downer and Ali Alatas in 1997 and renegotiate certain sea beds boundaries and the Exclusive Economic Zone there.
About two years ago we had a meeting with the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and it was agreed to renegotiate the boundaries of the Timor Sea waters. Don't let the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs deliberately silence this case and let everything be missed again and next week this case should be discuss, according to Ferdi Tanoni.