Mega calls for quick settlement of border disputes

Mega calls for quick settlement of border disputes

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

President Megawati Soekarnoputri on Monday stressed the need for
urgent attention to be given to the demarcation of the country's
borders with neighboring countries rather than wasting time on
demarcating maritime boundaries among the country's regencies.

Speaking at a ceremony marking the commemoration of National
Archipelago Day, Megawati said that unclear border demarcations
with neighboring countries and disputes among regencies over
maritime boundaries had inflicted losses on the state and
threatened national unity.

According to the President, illegal fishing, sand exports, and
illegal logging stemmed from unclear border demarcation.

"We have to immediately demarcate our borders with other
countries before it is too late. The Sipadan-Ligitan case,
illegal fishing, and sand exports are just some of the reasons
why we have to focus on our border arrangements with neighboring
countries," Megawati said.

Indonesia has yet to demarcate its maritime borders with the
Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, China and East Timor.

Indonesia lost Sipadan and Ligitan islets to neighboring
Malaysia in December 2002 after it failed to prove it had
sovereignty over them.

Foreign fishermen, mostly from Thailand, also regularly fish
in Indonesian waters, while illegal logging is rampant along the
Indonesia-Malaysia border on Borneo island. Some non-governmental
organizations claim that Malaysian loggers have moved border
markers back dozens of kilometers into Indonesian territory.

Each year fish poaching in Indonesia's exclusive economic zone
costs the country around US$4 billion, illegal logging another
US$4billion and sand mining, mostly in Riau province, US$8
billion.

Megawati underlined that these problems were more important
than simply finding new revenue sources.

"It is wrong for us to divide the sea up between regencies as
part of autonomy as it will threaten national unity," Megawati
said.

The President said that better ways should be found to
increase local revenues instead of parceling out maritime areas
as between the country's regencies.

"The sea is what holds the country together and we have to
keep it intact as a national asset," she underlined.

The government has stopped sand exports to Singapore and is
trying to reach an agreement with Malaysia to end the purchase of
illegal logs. At the same time, the Navy is intensifying its hunt
for Thai fishing boats in Indonesian waters.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is also stepping up
negotiations with neighboring countries to end border disputes.

Indonesia still has border disputes with Singapore, Malaysia,
the Philippines and East Timor. Last year, the country settled
the demarcation of its maritime boundaries with Vietnam.

The foreign ministry is scheduled to hold a joint commission
meeting with Malaysia on Feb. 11 to discuss these issues.