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"
... we urge Australia to ... : 1. Respect the national sovereignty of
the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, ... 2. ... we continue to
believe that a
permanent boundary, ... is
essential for completing our struggle for national independence. ... 3.
Return to the international dispute
resolution processes for maritime boundaries ... 4. Do not involve our
future in your
nation’s politics. ... 5. Respect Timor-Leste’s right to develop
our resources on a timetable that is best for our people. ... 6. Stop
exploration of
Laminaria-Corallina and other fields in disputed territory, ... Place
all revenues received from such fields
in an escrow account, ... " HAK Association, Haburas Foundation, La’o
Hamutuk (East Timor Institute
for Reconstruction Monitoring and Analysis), FOKUPERS, LAIFET (Labor
Advocacy Institute of East Timor), Timor-Leste Community Radio
Association (ARKTL), The Mirror of the People (LABEH), Forum Tau
Matan
(FTM), Timor-Leste Students Association.
This page last
updated 9 Oct 2005
The following statement is being
released at a press conference in Dili on the morning of 29 September,
2004.
East Timor NGO Forum
Caicoli Street, Dili, Timor-Leste. Tel
+670-723-5063.
Email: laohamutuk@easttimor.minihub.org
or etngocentre@hotmail.com
29 September 2004
TIMOR-LESTE CIVIL SOCIETY DEMANDS
FAIR BOUNDARY
Tetum: http://www.laohamutuk.org/reports/AusAID/NGO29Sep04tet.htm
Civil society and people in Timor-Leste, including the NGOs issuing
this statement, continue to follow the negotiations between our
government and Australia with great interest. We believe that the
issues being discussed in Darwin this week are among the most important
for the future of our nation.
Based on what we have been able to learn about the negotiations
process, we urge Australia to do the following:
1.
Respect the national sovereignty of
the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, negotiating with our government
as an equal partner and not belittling us with offers of “Christmas
presents.” Listen and respond to our national right to establish the
boundaries of our newly-independent nation.
2.
Although it appears that Timor-Leste’s
negotiators are considering a “creative solution” which would put off a
boundary settlement for many decades, we continue to believe that a
permanent boundary, both for the water column and the seabed, is
essential for completing our struggle for national independence. The
boundary should be based on current international legal principles,
along the median line between our two coasts, with lateral boundaries
decided according to current international law.
3.
Return to the international dispute
resolution processes for maritime boundaries of the International Court
of Justice and the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea.
4.
Do not involve our future in your
nation’s politics. Over the past six months, we have been disappointed
to see Timor-Leste’s rights used by Australian politicians for domestic
political purposes. Our rights are based on international law and moral
principles, not on Australian public opinion polls. We are struck by
the contrast between last year, when you refused to meet more than once
every six months, and now, just before your election, when you want to
meet every week.
5.
Respect Timor-Leste’s right to develop
our resources on a timetable that is best for our people. We are
dismayed by Australia’s support for Woodside’s hunger to extract
Sunrise gas as fast as possible.
6.
Stop exploration of
Laminaria-Corallina and other fields in disputed territory, including
issuing of new licenses. Place all revenues received from such fields
in an escrow account, to be apportioned between our nations when an
agreement is completed.
HAK Association,
Haburas Foundation,
La’o Hamutuk (East Timor Institute for Reconstruction Monitoring and
Analysis),
FOKUPERS,
LAIFET (Labor Advocacy Institute of East Timor),
Timor-Leste Community Radio Association (ARKTL),
The Mirror of the People (LABEH),
Forum Tau Matan (FTM),
Timor-Leste Students Association.
-END-Media Release
Info on members
of the East Timor NGO Forum who released this statement:
This section has been
added by Back Door as a service to readers.
last updated: 9 Oct 2005
East Timor National NGO Forum [Forum Nacional ONG Timor Lorosa'e
(FONGTIL)]
* Home: http://www.geocities.com/etngoforum/index.html
* BD collection on East Timor NGO Forum: http://www.pcug.org.au/~wildwood/etngoforum.html
HAK Association (Association
for
Law, Rights and Justice) [Perkumpulan/Perhimpunan
HAK]
* About: http://www.yayasanhak.minihub.org/about_us.html
* More about: http://www.pcug.org.au/~wildwood/linksindig.htm#yhakb
Haburas Foundation (Green
environmental organization)
* Info: http://www.etan.org/news/2004/04goldman.htm
La’o
Hamutuk "walking together"
(The East Timor
Institute for Reconstruction Monitoring and Analysis)
* Home: http://www.laohamutuk.org/
* Oil & Gas Index: http://www.laohamutuk.org/Oil/OilIndex.html
* Timor Oil Bulletins:
--- September 2004 The Case for Saving Sunrise: http://www.etan.org/lh/misc/04sunrise.html
--- March 2004
East Timor Government's Budget Deficit: http://www.etan.org/lh/bulletins/bulletinv5n2b.html
--- March 2004 Avoiding the Resource Course: http://www.etan.org/lh/misc/04curse.htm
--- August 2003 Timor Sea Oil & Gas update: http://www.etan.org/lh/bulletins/bulletinv4n34.html
--- December 2002 Timor Oil Chronology: http://www.etan.org/lh/bulletins/bulletinv3n8b.html
--- August 2002 Petroleum Conference in Darwin: http://www.etan.org/lh/bulletins/bulletinv3n6a.html#Report
--- July 2002: Timor Oil, Solidarity: http://www.etan.org/lh/bulletins/bulletinv3n5.html
* Email: laohamutuk@easttimor.minihub.org
* About: http://www.pcug.org.au/~wildwood/lheng.html
* Tada uluk kona ba La’o Hamutuk: http://www.pcug.org.au/~wildwood/lhtetun.html
* Informasi mengenai
La’o Hamutuk: http://www.pcug.org.au/~wildwood/lhbahasa.html
FOKUPERS
Forum
Komunikasi
Untuk Perempuan Loro Sae
(the
East
Timorese
Women’s Communication Forum)
* About: http://www.pcug.org.au/~wildwood/linksindig.htm#fokupersb
Labor
Advocacy Institute for Timor-Leste (LAIFET)
Timor-Leste Community Radio
Association (ARKTL)
Mirror for the
People (LABEH)
[Lalenok ba Ema Hotu]
Forum Tau Matan (FTM) [Tau
Matan: to keep an eye on, to take care of]
* (6
Oct 2005) LH Media release re FTM & AusAID: http://www.laohamutuk.org/reports/AusAID/FTM.html
* (6 Okt 2005)
LH Keterangan Media
(FTM & AusAID): http://www.laohamutuk.org/reports/AusAID/FTM_Bahasa.html
Timor-Leste Students Association
About:
East
Timor National NGO Forum / Forum Nacional ONG Timor Lorosa'e
(FONGTIL)
updated 30 Sep 2004
Umbrella agency for East Timorese
Non-Government
Organisations (NGOs)
VISION: To contribute to the
building
of a pluralist, democratic, just and sustainable East Timor through the
development of a strong, independent and responsible civil society
committed
to upholding and making real in the daily life of the community, both
village
and urban, the full range of human rights so that all East Timorese,
particularly
the poor and disadvantaged, can enjoy the fruits of liberation and
development
in an East Timor forever free.
MISSION: To realise its vision
by promoting a culture of learning, cooperation, partnership with the
community
and respect for human rights and good practice amongst East Timorese
NGOs
and between them and other development actors, both domestic and
international,
and by serving as a collective, independent voice for the rights and
needs
of the community.
VALUES AND PRINCIPLES: a rights
approach to development; inclusiveness, participation; accountability;
gender balance; respect for the environment; non-party political;
non-sectarian;
good governance; volunteerism.
Caicoli
Street,
Dili, Timor-Leste. Tel +670-723-5063.
Email: laohamutuk@easttimor.minihub.org
or etngocentre@hotmail.com
Homepage: http://www.geocities.com/etngoforum/index.html
BD collection on East Timor NGO
Forum:
http://www.pcug.org.au/~wildwood/etngoforum.html
Source of Media Release:
Charles Scheiner
email: cscheiner@igc.org
La'o Hamutuk
Dili, Timor-Leste +670-723-4335 (until 2 October 2004)
+1-914-831-1098 or +1-914-473-3185 (mobile) (New York, after that)
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