On Sipadan and Ligitan

The bad news has finally arrived, and concerned Indonesian citizens must accept the fact. This is the second time that Indonesia must "give up" her territory after the secession of East Timor four years ago.

We cannot evaluate why Indonesia must give up the two islands, because we do not have adequate information regarding the islands' status. Some people say that the government of Indonesia tends to ignore small islands that border neighboring territories. This could be true, so as a starting point, let us be more vigilant and not ignore islands that lie on our nation's borders, including our land boundaries with East Timor, Malaysia and Papua New Guinea.

Being an Indonesian citizen from West Timor, may I call upon the government to take a close look at the detailed covenant on the boundary between the eastern and western parts of Timor as established by the former colonial governments of the Netherlands and Portugal? The covenant was placed on the State Gazette, Year 1909, No. 214. Almost one hundred years has passed, and who knows that unilateral trespasses had taken place.

Most likely, part of our territory spanning a number of regencies sharing their borders with the Republic of Timor Leste had been unilaterally inhabited by the citizens of East Timor.

CORNELIS A. BOCKY, Jakarta