'New proof shows Australian island belong to Indonesia'

Yemris Fointuna, The Jakarta Post, Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara

Indonesia has a strong case to bring its claim over an island occupied by neighboring Australia to the International Court of Justice, an official says.

Head of the Timor Gap working committee Ferdi Tanone told The Jakarta Post on Thursday that a document found in the Archeological Museum in West Australia provides a convincing reason for Indonesia to win international recognition of sovereignty over Ashmore Reef, which is known as Pasir (Sand) Island by Indonesians.

"The document says traditional fishermen from Rote, Timor, Flores and Bugis found the island in 1609 and had conducted activities there since then," Ferdi said.

The fishermen lived in territories that now fall under the republic's jurisdiction.

Ashmore Reef is situated 200 nautical miles south of Rote Island in East Nusa Tenggara. It was named after a British captain who landed on the island in 1874. It has been occupied ever since.

Australia has used the island as a naval base to contain the flow of illegal immigrants. A conservation park was also built there in 1982.

Ferdi said many of the ancestors of Rote fishermen were buried on the island.

"Australia's bargaining power is becoming weak because the document says Indonesian fishermen made a living on the island for more than 200 years before Britain came."

He said he had officially requested that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the House of Representatives commission I for foreign affairs and commission VIII on environment, science and technology demand that Australia agree to move to the negotiation table regarding the island.

If Australia did not agree the case would be brought to the international court in The Hague, Ferdi said.

Australia has dismissed talks on Indonesia's claim so far.

The Timor Gap working committee was established by the East Nusa Tenggara administration to help Indonesia maintain its interests in the Timor Gap and win its claim over Pasir Island.

The Indonesian court ruled in favor of Malaysia to end a long dispute with Indonesia over Sipadan and Ligitan islands. Since then Indonesia has stepped up measures on islands bordering neighboring countries to keep what it calls its sovereignty over the islands intact.

Indonesia has more than 17,000 islands, most of them inhabited.