Exclusive zone, territorial claims

Exclusive zone, territorial claims

From Kompas

An article in Kompas daily (March 7) written by I Basis Susilo noted that Indonesia's loss of Sipadan and Ligitan islands was due to the lack of a continuous presence, effective settlement and guarantee for nature conservation on border islands.

In his book, Indonesia's exclusive economic zone and continental shelf, First Adm. (ret) Adi Sumardiman, among others, mentions two countries with traditional rights over areas within the Indonesian exclusive economic zone.

Malaysia has rights over the South China Sea, based on the Record of Discussion supplemented to the Indonesia-Malaysia agreement of Feb. 25, 1982, and Papua New Guinea has rights over the Pacific Ocean, north of West Irian province, based on the maritime border agreement of Dec. 11, 1980.

Traditional rights mean the rights of traditional fishermen of Malaysia and Papua New Guinea to fish within the territory of the Indonesian exclusive economic zone. If their fishermen are engaged in organized activities and have settled on border islands in the Natuna or Riau archipelagoes, some day Malaysia may claim them, as in the case of Sipadan and Ligitan.

The question is whether there is already a concrete concept for the central government and regional administrations to monitor the fishermen's activities, as well as the Indonesia- Malaysia and Indonesia-Papua New Guinea borders. It is hoped the relevant authorities will clarify this matter.

NASIKIN, Jakarta