27-Year Border Dispute Between Indonesia and Timor-Leste: East Nusa Tenggara Governor Awaits Central Government Direction
The land border at Naktuka in East Amfoang District, Kupang Regency, East Nusa Tenggara Province (NTT), remains a disputed area between Indonesia and Timor-Leste. East Nusa Tenggara Governor Melkiades Laka Lena stated that the border dispute falls under the authority of the central government.
It is known that the Naktuka area is currently inhabited by 243 families from Timor-Leste. Their presence has drawn strong protests from the Indonesian community, particularly from Amfoang, who believe that Naktuka has historically been part of Indonesian territory.
According to Melki, as Melkiades is known, the dispute must be resolved jointly with the Timor-Leste government. “Regarding Naktuka, we are entrusting this to the Indonesian Foreign Ministry together with the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI), the Ministry of Home Affairs and the National Border Management Agency, to examine the details of the situation and then respond,” said Melki on Friday, 13 March 2026.
Melki stated that both East Nusa Tenggara Provincial Government and Kupang District Government can only await a decision from the central government regarding the Naktuka dispute. “We from East Nusa Tenggara Province and Kupang Regency are simply awaiting directions from the centre,” he asserted.
Meanwhile, Kupang Regent Yosef Lede revealed that for 27 years there has been no clarity or agreement on the Noelbesi-Citrana border segment. This has resulted in differing perceptions that have led to unilateral claims by hundreds of families from Citrana in Oecusse, Timor-Leste, who have taken control of agricultural land in the Naktuka area.
Yosef explained that the central government, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Border Management Agency, must focus on resolving the Noelbesi-Citrana segment and interpreting the cultural agreement outlined in the 2017 Bokos Treaty as the basis for maintaining Indonesian territory.
“As a regional head and the people of Amfoang, we strongly hope that the state will intervene so that the status of this territory can become clear. So that there is certainty for our people there,” said Yosef Lede.
He hoped that the dispute could be resolved quickly so that the planned Oepoli Border Crossing Post (PLBN) development by the government could proceed.
“We are a border region between nations, and we very much hope that the central government can resolve this properly. So that the people truly feel protected and cared for by the state,” he explained.
Previously, the Chairman of the East Timor Fighters Communication Forum (FKPTT) Eurico Guterres urged President Prabowo Subianto to resolve the land border dispute at Naktuka that has persisted for 27 years. This is because if left to drag on, there is a possibility of conflict between the North Amfoang community and Timor-Leste, which now inhabits the area.
“If this is not handled seriously, believe me, this is like a time bomb that could explode at any time and cause conflict in the Naktuka border area,” said the pro-integration East Timor activist.