Cross-border direct trade await legislation<\/p>\n
Indonesian migrants, who used to dominate roadside small-scale
\nbusinesses, have gone, never to return.<\/p>\n
But the tragic parting does not mean the end of the world for
\nthe two neighbors as far as trade is concerned. East Timor can
\nafford to lose the Indonesian traders but not their commodities.<\/p>\n
So, even though East Timorese traders have taken control over
\nthe local economy, they still offer the same thing: Indonesian-
\nmade goods and commodities.<\/p>\n
Noodles, cigarettes, soap, toothpaste, wheat flower, rice,
\nbottled water, seasoning, textiles - just name it - are mostly
\nimported from Indonesia.<\/p>\n
The commodities remain popular in East Timor because they are
\ncheap, of good quality and suit the locals' palate, probably
\nbecause they have been all too familiar to them after 24 years of
\n\"integration\" with Indonesia.<\/p>\n
They are unbeatable compared to commodities imported from,
\nlet's say, other countries such as Australia, which also re-
\nexports Indonesian commodities.<\/p>\n
Goods imported from the West are usually available at
\nsupermarkets catering to the free-spending international staff
\nand the wealthy locals. One of the best-known upscale shops is
\nHello Mister near the presidential palace.<\/p>\n
Taibesi traditional market in South Dili is no different from
\nmarkets in Indonesia in terms of merchandise on offer.<\/p>\n
\"We locals have become very familiar with Indonesian goods and
\nare lucky that their supply is stable, even after all this
\nturbulence,\" said Maria Soares, a textile trader in Taibesi.<\/p>\n
She was talking about direct trade between East Timorese and
\nIndonesian businesses since East Timor's independence.<\/p>\n
The spacious marketplace with gorgeous hills in the background
\nwas built in 2001 on a former Indonesian army barracks. Remnants
\nof the military training facilities and a monument featuring
\nscrapped weapons are kept in place.<\/p>\n
Traders obtain merchandise from wholesalers in Dili, who have
\nimported the goods from Surabaya and the Indonesian western half
\nof Timor island.<\/p>\n
But not all commodities are exported by big companies. Many
\nsmall-scale businesses and even individual Indonesian
\nentrepreneurs have been doing direct trade with East Timor.<\/p>\n
Slamet is a textile businessman from Surakarta who does cross-
\nborder business. He says the immigration procedure is \"easy\".<\/p>\n
After his truck from the West Timor border town of Atambua has
\npassed the immigration and border security check, he pays import
\nduty, which is 14 percent of the total estimated value of the
\ngoods on board.<\/p>\n
\"The method of payment is negotiable. If we don't have cash,
\nwe can still go but we will have our passports withheld to be
\ncollected when go back to Atambua and pay the duty,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Even though people in the two countries have been yearning for
\ndirect trade, legislation has yet to be drawn. The East Timorese
\ngovernment is particularly keen on it but the Indonesian
\ngovernment is showing less interest.<\/p>\n
Just recently, East Timor officiated the border market in
\nTuriskai. The market takes place in the river that partitions the
\ntwo countries and is only open three days a week.<\/p>\n
Bria Yohanes, deputy regent of Belu, which shares a border
\nwith East Timor, says the regency is drawing up regulations on
\ndirect trade in his area of jurisdiction.<\/p>\n
The regency has designated three places, Motemasin,
\nKalitono and Motaen, as the cross-border market.<\/p>\n
In the future, Bria says, the markets will open any time as
\nlong as there are people with to do business. \"We want to make
\nprices as low as possible to kill the black market,\" he said.
\n\"One thing we are pondering is to exempt vehicles transporting
\ngoods from paying tax to lower transport expenses.\"<\/p>\n
East Nusa Tenggara officials have been pinning high hopes for
\ntransborder trade, which it expects will increase locally-
\ngenerated revenues.<\/p>\n
They have proposed that East Nusa Tenggara is made an
\nauthority area like Batam Island, which will allow it greater
\npower to manage local resources.<\/p>\n
The demand received strong support from leaders of the
\nCatholic Democrats Party (PKD), which has its strongest base in
\nthe province. They propose an economic triangle linking Kupang
\nwith Dili and Darwin.<\/p>\n
The idea is to help economically empower impoverished East
\nNusa Tenggara.<\/p>\n
\"If East Timor becomes more prosperous,\" PKD chief Stefanus
\nRoy Rening says, \"it could become dangerous because it could sow
\nthe seeds of separatism (in East Nusa Tenggara).\"<\/p>\n
The people of East and West Timor basically share the same
\nethnic background.<\/p>\n
\"The central government should soon issue a regulation on
\ncross-border trade,\" Roy said. \"People on both sides of the
\nborder are waiting, anxiously.\" --JP<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/cross-border-direct-trade-await-legislation-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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