BACK
DOOR e-news on East Timor:
Sept
20th 2004 National Rally in Canberra for Timor Sea Justice:
Receive
FREE email newsletters: email wildwood@pcug.org.au
and include the words "Subscribe BACK DOOR" in the message
header.
Contents:
* Sept 20th
National Rally in Canberra for Timor Sea Justice
* East Timorese Position
Statements
-- Timor Sea Office (TSO), East Timor Government
-- Centru
Informasaun Independenti ba Tasi Timor (CIITT)
[Independent Center for Timor
Sea Information]
-- Movimento Kontra Okupasun Tasi
Timor (MKOTT)
[Movement Against the
Occupation of the Timor Sea]
* Other Events in Australia
* About Back Door
* Email Subscription
- - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Sept 20th National Rally in
Canberra for Timor Sea Justice
Timor Sea Justice Campaign - National Rally:
National Rally in Canberra
during the next round of Timor Sea oil talks between East Timor and
Australia
Monday 20th
September
12.00 noon till 2.00 p.m.
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT)
R.G. Casey Building, John McEwen Crescent, Barton, Canberra, ACT
Canberra Contact: Bobi Meyer: (02) 6249 7951 blmeyer@cyberone.com.au
Melbourne: Trish Woodcroft-Lee: 0407 580 777 cpwl@ozemail.com.au
Despite the fact that an election has been called, the next round of
Timor Sea oil talks between East Timor and Australia are set to go
ahead on September 20th in Canberra. Although the talks will not
involve the relevant ministers, given the Australian government's
stated new willingness to negotiate, they will be quite critical.
They will also provide supporters of the Timor Sea Justice Campaign
with an opportunity to send a strong message to the Government that the
Timor Sea is definitely not off the election agenda. Although there has
been much speculation on the nature of a possible agreement, the deal
has not yet been done and the work of the Timor Sea Justice Campaign is
not finished!
Timor Sea Justice Activists from Melbourne, Sydney and Darwin will
travel to Canberra for a rally on Monday, 20 September in front of
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, to draw public attention to
our demands that:
* the Australian Government negotiate in good faith to set fair
maritime boundaries with East Timor, consistent with the principles of
International law, and
* stop unilaterally developing and profiting from East Timor's
resources
We would like to invite as many people as possible in Canberra to
become involved in the action as it is your city and your support is
crucial. We would therefore ask you to come along and participate
yourselves and to tell as many people as you can about it. Also,
if you are able to offer a billet to someone from interstate for the
nights of the 19th and 20th, we would be delighted to hear from you.
The Details of the rally are as
follows:
Monday 20 September
12.00 noon till 2.00 p.m.
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
R.G. Casey Building, John McEwen Crescent, Barton
Speakers, Street Theatre and more!
Canberra Contact: Bobi Meyer
(02) 6249 7951
blmeyer@cyberone.com.au
Melbourne: Trish Woodcroft-Lee
0407 580 777
cpwl@ozemail.com.au
There will be a planning
meeting for the rally
at 3.00 p.m. on
Sunday 19 September
at Gus’s coffee shop, Bunda St Civic Centre, (across the road from the
Griffin Centre), Canberra.
We would like as many people as possible from Canberra to join us.
- - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
East Timorese
Position Statements
- - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Aug-Sep 2004
Timor Sea Office (TSO) / Gabinete Tasi
Timor / Gabinete do Mar de Timor,
East Timor Government:
Speech on Maritime Boundary dispute between Timor-Leste and
Australia
Full text: http://www.pcug.org.au/~wildwood/04sepaugtso.html
"Under UNCLOS
Articles 74 and 83, both Australia and Timor-Leste have an
obligation to negotiate over their respective positions on boundaries
in the Timor Sea. This includes frontal and lateral
boundaries. ... It is unfair for Australia to refuse to negotiate about
the lateral
boundaries, which are the KEY issue for Timor-Leste, but refuse
international adjudication, while enjoying the benefits of the
unilaterally exploitation of the petroleum in the Timor Sea. ... International law, and UNCLOS in
particular, sets out an obligation not
to take unilateral action in respect of disputed resources. ...
Australia’s unilateral exploitation in the disputed area has not only
not ceased, in accordance with international law and our demands. It
has increased since 20 May 2002. They are unilaterally enjoying the
benefits of the Laminaria,
Corralina and Buffalo fields. Timor-Leste is not receiving even a cent
of the exploitation of its own petroleum. ...
It is Timor-Leste’s position
that
Australia must honor the IUA [International
Unitization Agreement] if
Timor-Leste is to ratify it. What does this involve? The IUA will not be
ratified by Timor-Leste until Australia abides by the relevant rules of
international law applicable in the relations between the parties.
* This requires
Australia to:
-- commit to a satisfactory
time
frame for negotiations,
-- after which either party
will be
able to seek resolution of the maritime boundary dispute before a
neutral international mechanism, should agreement not have been
reached.
* Further,
Australia will have to:
-- cease unilateral activity in
disputed areas in accordance with diplomatic correspondence from
Timor-Leste, or
-- take adequate interim
measures (e.g. placing revenues in escrow) to preserve Timor-Leste’s
rights in these areas pending resolution of the dispute.
This gives you a sense of the dispute in the Timor Sea and the position
of the government of Timor-Leste. ...
... on August 11, Australian
Foreign Minister
Alexander Downer met with our Foreign Minister, José
Ramos-Horta, to discuss this dispute. ... We are confident that a
solution can be reached to the Timor Sea
dispute that reflects Timor-Leste’s rights in the Timor Sea under
international law. We understand that the next round of negotiations
will be intensive and
serious, so that this dispute can be resolved fairly and equitably for
the benefit of both nations. The September 20 talks in Canberra will
tell us all just how serious the Howard Government about Timor Sea
justice."
Manuel de Lemos, Asst Coordinator, Timor Sea Office, Office
of the Timor-Leste Prime Minister
About Timor Sea Office: http://www.timorseaoffice.gov.tp/
- - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
2004
Centru
Informasaun Independenti ba Tasi Timor (CIITT)
Independent
Center for Timor
Sea Information:
Statement
on Timor Gap Treaty
Full text: http://www.pcug.org.au/~wildwood/ciitt2004.html
"CIITT hereby present
our
demands as follows:
I. We call for
the Australian Liberal Party, who has a very important
role in managing the Federal Government and making a political decision
for its Timor Gap Treaty ratification so far, to assist East Timor
towards the fair legal process.
2. We call for the Australian
Labor Party, who has the biggest
opposition party and a majority of voters in State government, to
remind its National Government to resolve the Settlement of the Seabed
Boundary under the principles of International Court of Justice (ICJ).
3. We appeal to the Australian
People, and Australian Activist and
Australian Civil Society Organizations, who are supporting and fighting
with us for our independent nationhood. We wish to see again your
strong commitment and solidarity in the future.
4. We call on the Government of
Australia to abolish the 20 May 2002
agreement, as the agreement is inconsistent with international law. It
also goes against the basic principles from which Australia based its
development assistance program for an independent Timor Leste. Under
these principles, Australia wishes to assist Timor Leste to become a
truly independent nation in every aspect, including an economy that is
self-reliant and free from dependency on the international
community.
5. We call on the Government of
Australia not to issue any new oil and
gas exploration or production permit and licences in area of the Timor
Sea that are still under dispute between Australia and Timor Leste.
6. We appeal to the Government
and Parliament of Australia to settle
the boundary dispute between Australia and Timor Leste in accordance
with international law and principles. Otherwise, it clearly shows
Australia up as not having the political will to assist Timor Leste.
This is a clear violation of Timor Leste's rights under international
maritime law.
7. We request for the UN and
the international community to remind the
Government of Australia to resolve the boundary dispute. The UN
initiated the negotiation and made the agreement initially when Timor
Leste was still inexperienced and was limited in our capacity to
comprehend the situation.
8. We request Honorary elected
members of Parliament of Timor Leste not
to ratify the International Treaty on Unitisation because this Treaty
will disadvantage Timor Leste in all aspects - politically, legally and
economically.
9. We call on the Government
and Parliament of Timor Leste to act
consistently with and to uphold Timorese maritime law.
10. We appeal to the Government
of Timor Leste to manage and to utilise
all income from the oil and gas resources with transparency and
accountability for the advancement and progress of the people of Timor
Leste.
11. Ensure that a fair
proportion of the workforce involved in the
Timor Sea project are Timorese workers and that there will be a fair
transfer of technology to the Timorese workers.
12. We call on the Government
of Timor Leste to fight for the
construction of the pipeline to Timor Leste's territory; and finally,
13. We call on both the
Governments of Australia and Timor Leste to
hold in trust, in an escrow account, all revenue and income from oil
and gas exploration and production in disputed areas. "
Centru
Informasaun Independenti ba Tasi Timor (CIITT) / Independent Center for Timor
Sea Information
About CIITT: http://www.pcug.org.au/~wildwood/ciitt.html
- - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
2004 - 2nd Anniversary of
Independence
Movimento
Kontra Okupasun Tasi Timor (MKOTT)
Movement Against the Occupation of the Timor Sea:
Solidarity with
Australians for Timor Sea Justice
Full text: http://www.pcug.org.au/~wildwood/04may20mkott.html
"On this second anniversary of
the restoration of our national
independence, we ask your support for the demands on Australia's
government from Timor-Leste's Movement Against the Occupation of the
Timor Sea:
1. Respect East Timor as an
independent and sovereign state. Our government's legitimacy and
authority are equal to Australia's.
2. Negotiate a fair maritime
boundary with East Timor, according to contemporary legal principles as
expressed in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, based
on a median line. If both sides approach the process in good faith,
meeting monthly, it should take no more than three years to reach an
agreement.
3. Rejoin the maritime
boundary dispute resolution mechanisms of the International Tribunal
for the Law of the Sea and the International Court of Justice, so that
East Timor and Australia will have boundaries consistent with the law
if negotiations do not result in a just and prompt solution.
4. Stop issuing new
exploration licenses in seabed territory that is closer to East Timor
than to Australia. During each of the last three years, Australia
offered such areas to oil companies, and Canberra signed one contract
just three months ago.
5. Deposit all revenues
received by the Australian government from petroleum fields that are
closer to East Timor than they are to Australia into an escrow account.
When a permanent seabed boundary is established, this account will be
divided appropriately between the two nations. "
Movimento Kontra Okupasun Tasi Timor
(MKOTT) / Movement Against the Occupation of the Timor Sea
About MKOTT: http://www.pcug.org.au/~wildwood/mkott.html
- - - - - - -
- -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Other Events in Australia
All events, including details: http://www.pcug.org.au/~wildwood/events.htm
Brisbane:
Brisbane
Timor Leste Goodwill Coalition for Justice in the Timor Sea
Next
Meeting: Wednesday
22nd September 2004 at 7.00 pm
at Benarrawa House, 79 Waratah
Avenue, Graceville
Kerry Taylor-Leech on 07 3278 5370
or email: taylor_leech-kerry@powerup.com.au
Bill Briner at: bbriner@dart.net.au
Darwin:
Darwin Timor Sea Justice
Campaign
It's Timor's oil & gas -
Protest: Sept 18, 10.30am
Raintree Park, Darwin City
Jon Lamb: Ph 8981 4714, 0438 162 597
- - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
About Back Door
Back Door is a free
Australia based
Web and email newsletter:
Back Door includes:
* Timor Sea justice info,
* urgent actions related to East
Timor,
* coming events within Australia.
Back Door:
* upholds justice and human rights,
* supports East Timorese
self-determination and
* promotes East Timorese voices.
More about Back Door:
http://www.pcug.org.au/~wildwood/AboutBD.htm
- - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Email Subscription
To receive these free occasional
emails send an
email to: wildwood@pcug.org.au
and include the words "subscribe back
door"
in the message header.
To un-subscribe include the words
"unsubscribe back door".
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - -
Back Door Newsletter on
Timor Loro Sa'e
http://www.pcug.org.au/~wildwood/
Australia nia ulun tenki fo fila fali mina ho mos gas ba Timor
Loro Sa'e!
- - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -