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Movement Against the Occupation of the Timor Sea

Press Release - December 6, 2013

Why is the richest nation in our region ripping off the poorest? - AETFA South Australia Media Statement. December 4, 2013
Indonesia keeps violating war and international humanitarian law regarding forced disappearances - The Movement of Searching Forced Disappearances during Illegal Indonesian Occupation from 1975-1999. November 28, 2013
Timor-Leste economy predicted to be among worst hit by climate change: ADB - Asia Development Bank News Release. November 26, 2013
Commemoration of the Santa Cruz Massacre 1991-2013 - Joint Declaration by the Timorese National Alliance for an International Tribunal. November 12, 2013
ETAN on anniversary of Santa Cruz massacre - East Timor and Indonesia Action Network Statement. November 12, 2013

For many years, Australia has been stealing the oil and gas from the Timor Sea, in an area which belongs to Timor-Leste under international legal principles. Sadly, Australia has shown its manner and its greed to make our small and poor country in this region lose our resources and sovereignty.

After it became aware of the oil and gas reserves in the Timor Sea, Australia supported Indonesia for more than two decades as it committed genocide against the people of this land, stealing and using its strong economic and political power to trample us, making themselves rich by leaving us in poverty.

A few days ago, the Australian government used its intelligence service to seize documents from Timor-Leste's lawyer in the CMATS (Certain Maritime Arrangements in the Timor Sea) arbitration case, and to put pressure on a "whistleblower" so that he could not testify.

These are not the practices of a nation which values democracy, freedom and morality. In addition, Australia's leaders showed their disrespect for the Timor-Leste people – a small, poor people who generously helped Australia during the Second World War against Japan, at the cost of 40,000 Timorese people's lives.

Today, the Movement Against the Occupation of the Timor Sea asks the Government of Australia to:

1. Stop stealing and occupying the Timor Sea, but show your good will as a large nation which follows democratic principles to accept a maritime boundary which follows international law principles.

2. Australia should set an example as a sovereign nation which respects and recognizes the rights of Timor-Leste's people.

3. Australia should not promote or continue neocolonialism against Timor-Leste's people, who have suffered this for centuries. We will no longer be your slaves.

4. The Abbott government should apologize to the Maubere people, who have been hugely discriminated against by Australia from the past to the present. If not, we will continue to demonstrate at the Australian Embassy for the indefinite future.

This concludes our press release, and thank you for your attention.

The struggle continues.

Dili 5 December 2013

Juvinal Dias
Representative, Movement Against the Occupation of the Timor Sea
Contact number (+670) 77348703/77126417