Navy
warning:
Potential territorial disputes
Indonesian naval chief says 12 islands may encounter problems
with neighbours, including Malaysia and Singapore. Jakarta
Post
Sep 9, 2004
The
Navy warned on Wednesday that Indonesia could become embroiled
in new disputes with neighboring countries over a number
of islands located in border areas if it did not take adequate
measures to assert its sovereignty.
In a
speech to a seminar here, Navy Chief of Staff Adm. Bernard
Kent Sondakh said the Navy was paying special attention
to at least 12 islands located close to neighboring countries.
"There
is a possibility that the 12 islands could spark conflicts
with several neighbouring countries if Indonesia doesn't
show its ownership," he said.
Bernard
said that most of the islands had no inhabitants.
The
islands include Rondo island in Nangroe Aceh Darussalam
province, which is near the maritime boundary with India,
and Berhala island in North Sumatra, which is close to Malaysia.
Others
are Nipa island in Riau province and Sekatung island, which
are located near Singapore and Vietnam respectively.
In the
north of Indonesia, there are three islands: Marore, Miangas
and Marampit - all in North Sulawesi province - which lie
close to the maritime boundary with the Philippines, while
in the east of the country, three other islands, Fanildo,
Bras and Fani - all in Papua province - could be claimed
by Micronesia.
The
last two islands are Batek in East Nusa Tenggara and Dana,
which could be disputed by East Timor and Australia.
Bernard
said that conflicts could begin with other countries, when
foreign fishermen, for example, established shelters or
foreign firms started prospecting for natural resources,
or even foreign military forces conducted exercises on the
islands.
"If
we become aware of such activities, we will respond to it
with military action to reassert our sovereignty,"
he warned.
"On
the other hand, if we don't find out about these activities
quickly, then the problem could turn into one of a foreign
claim or occupation, which would lead to open conflict with
Indonesia."
First
Adm M. Jurianto, from naval headquarters, said the country's
experience in 2002 of losing Sipadan and Ligitan islands
to Malaysia could reoccur if Indonesia failed to manage
its islands properly.
"That's
why we have to anticipate these possibilities. The Navy
has increased patrols ... and set up guard posts on the
islands," said Jurianto.
Sipadan
and Ligitan islands in the Sulawesi Sea were awarded to
Malaysia in December 2002 by the International Court of
Justice after a long legal battle.
The
Indonesian Navy regularly complains that it does not have
enough resources to monitor all of the country's waters.
The
Navy has only 117 vessels, with an average age of 30 years,
to guard Indonesia's 81,000-kilometer coastline and six
million square kilometers of ocean, while Thailand, for
example, has 151 ships to guard its 3,219 kilometers of
coastline and 575,000 square kilometers of ocean.
According
to the Navy, it should have at least 138 ships to provide
a minimum level of security, and 190 ships to provide a
good level of security.
Jakarta Post
