Problema no Tentativa Siguransa iha Fronteira Oe-Cusse

(FM Foto: Pontu liña fronteira entre Timor-Leste ho Indonezia iha mota NOEMNA)

Depois hetan independensia, akordu terminasaun liña fronteira sei kontinua laiha solusaun. Sei iha pontu rua hanesan area “Noel Besi – Citrana ho Bijael Sunan – Oben” ne’ebé to’o ohin loron iha faze negosiasaun entre Timor-Leste ho Indonezia atu rezolve. Ho demarkasaun liña fronteira ne’ebé la’o neneik sai tentativa ba siguransa komunidade Timor-Leste ne’ebé hela iha area fronteira Oe-Cusse nomos ameasa ba siguransa nasional. Durante ne’e mosu konflitu barak entre komunidade rai rua iha fronteira Oe-Cusse ne’ebé halo komunidade senti la seguru.

Iha nivel politika, Governu Timor-Leste ho Indonezia halo ona konkordansia hodi aslera prosesu terminasaun liña fronteira, hafoin vizita ofisial Prezidenti Republika Indonezia Joko Widodo iha tinan 2015. Maske nune’e, iha nivel implementasaun kontinua la’o kudek, iha ne’ebé potensial tebes hodi hamosu konflitu entre komunidade iha liña fronteira nomos fo ameasa ba siguransa nasional. Tuir Fundasaun Mahein – FM nia monitorizasaun iha fulan Maiu tinan ida ne’e indentifika problema balun ne’ebé sai asuntu krusial ba siguransa iha liña fronteira maka hanesan tuir mai ne’e;

1. Tentativa siguransa iha fronteira Naktuka

Fronteira Naktuka nu’udar area disputa dezde ukun-an to’o ohin loron. Naktuka hola parte iha Suku Bene Ufi, Sub-rejiaun Nitebe, Rejiaun Oe-Cusse. Suku Bene Ufi ho total uma kain hamutuk 589, husi total ne’e maizmumenus uma-kain besik atus ida maka hela iha area refere. Durante ne’e, Naktuka sei kontinua sai area disputa entre Timor-Leste ho Indonezia. Iha ne’ebé potensial ba konflitu entre komunidade, halo komunidade senti la seguru. Maske Governu Indonezia no Timor-Leste kokorda ona atu termina lalais area disputa iha liña fronteira.

Fulan Dezembru tinan 2013, mosu akontesementu sustifikadu ne’ebé Lia Na’in Oe-Cusse hetan oho iha area Naktuka (oho iha toos laran ne’ebé deskonfia autor husi komunidade Oewein no Oepoli – Kupang). Situasaun ne’e halo komunidade iha area Naktuka senti ladun seguru. Tinan tuir mai (2014) FM halo monitorizasaun ba progresu siguransa iha area Naktuka identifika katak komunidade kontinua senti dook husi ambiente moris paz no hakmatek, sira tauk no trauma haree militar Indonezia ne’ebé halo patrollamentu ho armamentu militar kompletu tama-sai area Naktuka.

(FM Foto: Area ne’ebé TNI sempre tama ilegal hodi halo patrollamentu)

Relata ba kazu hirak ne’e, Governu Timor-Leste ho Indonezia liu husi ekipa Kordenasaun Fronteira halo ona inisiativa lubuk balun hodi rezolve problema demarkasaun liña fronteira. Rezultadu husi inisiativa ne’e konsege rezolve ona pontu balun kona-bá demarkasaun liña Fronteira, dadaun sei iha pontu rua ne’ebé seidauk rezolve hanesan area Naktuka no Leolbatan. Iha ne’ebé kontinua sai area pontesial ba konflitu no tentativa ba siguransa nasional.

Tuir FM nia monitorizasaun (fulan Maiu) tinan ida ne’e identifika katak entre fulan Janeiru – Fevereriu militar Indonezia ho kilat boot no kareta hodi tama area Naktuka ne’ebé halo komunidade senti tauk. Nune’e mos iha fulan Marsu nia laran, komunidade eis refujiadu Timor-Timur iha tinan 1999 ne’ebé dadaun hela iha Oepoli – Kupang hamutuk 150 pesoas tama ilegalmente iha area Naktuka hodi hamoos natar ne’ebé laiha kuiñesementu husi Unidade Patrollamentu Fronteira – UPF. Parte UPF Citrana rasik ne’ebé hetan konfirmasaun husi FM rekuiñese movimentu ilegal ida ne’e.

(Area Naktuka ne’ebé iha fulan Marsu Komunidade Oepoli – Kupang hamutuk 150 pesoas tama ilegal hodi hamoos natar)

Publiku nia perguntas maka tanba saida militar no komunidade Indonezia kontinua halo invazaun ilegal iha area Naktuka maske iha ona konkordansia entre TNI ho UPF katak wainhira halo patrollamentu iha area Naktuka tenki fo rekuiñesementu ba autoridade UPF iha liña fronteira? Komunidade Naktuka husu ba Governu Timor-Leste ho Indonezia atu aslera lalais ba definisaun liña fronteira atu nune’e bele minimiza tensaun konflitu entre komunidade iha futuru ne’ebé fo ameasa sira nia moris.

2. Esperansa komunidade ba “rekonsiliasaun”

Liu tiha tinan barak depois konflitu entre komunidade Suku Kosta – Oe-Cusse ho Suku Suin -Sia no Baki -Tolas, Nusa Tenggara Timor – NTT to’o ohin loron seidauk iha asaun rekonsiliasaun ne’ebé Governu fasilita. Konflitu entre komunidade rai rua ne’ebé akontese iha tinan 2013 rezulta sunu uma tolu komunidade aldeia Nelu, Suku Kosta nian. Rezultadu husi konflitu ne’e sei kontinua rai hela fitar hodiu – vigansa, iha ne’ebé bele provoka tensaun konflitu iha futuru.

Komunidade sira husi aldeia Nelu, Suku Kosta ne’ebé sai vitima ba konflitu kontinua senti tauk no la seguru, maske hetan ona siguransa masimu husi UPF. Espetativa komunidade sira katak karik laiha tendensia ameasa konflitu fiziku, maibe iha espetativa ameasa seluk ne’ebé bele fo impaktu ba sira nia moris. Hanesan ema tau veneno ba bee-matan Hale iha area disputa ne’ebé durante ne’e komunidade konsumu. Antes ne’e akontese ona hahalok brutal ne’ebé halo estragus ba kanu bee-matan “Ba-op” ne’ebé UPF durante ne’e uza ba nesesidade.

Relata ba akontesementu hirak ne’e, komunidade sira nia espetativa katak bele akontese asaun hanesan iha futuru, enkuantu komunidade rai rua ne’e sei kontinua la rekonsilia ba malu. Ho ida ne’e komunidade sira husu Governu atu fasilita rekonsiliasaun ba komunidade entre rai rua hodi nune’e bele minimiza tensaun konflitu iha tempu oin mai. Tanba problema dis-iguladade sosial entre komunidade rai rua iha liña fronteira bele provoka hanoin at atu estraga malu no oho malu, ne’ebé bele fo impaktu mos ba siguransa iha liña fronteira.

3. Lala’ok patrollamentu no kondisaun UPF iha fronteira

Unidade Patrollamentu Fronteira – UPF maka durante ne’e tau-matan no asegura siguransa iha liña fronteira trestre. Prezensa UPF iha fronteira durante ne’e kontribui tebes ba siguransa nasional, kordenasaun no halo patrollamentu hamutuk ho forsa Indonezia nian iha liña fronteira. Maske nune’e kuaze postu UPF iha fronteira Oe-Cusse hetan problema barak iha nivel rekursu umanu, fasilidade no ekipamentu sira.

Tuir FM nia monitorizasaun indentifika katak husi limitasaun hirak ne’e sai obstaklu ba serbisu UPF nian iha liña fronteira. Pru-ezemplu, postu Citrana ne’ebé ho membru UPF ne’ebé limitadu labele halo patrollamentu rutina hodi kobre area ne’ebé luan. Durante ne’e halo deit patrollamentu besik mota Noemna – Naktuka, kuaze area kilometru ida husi mota Noemna ba area Oepoli no Oewein – Kupang abandonadu no la hetan vizilansia husi UPF.

Kondisaun hirak ne’e fo oportunidade luan ba komunidade Indonezia iha liña fronteira fasil tebes halo movimentu tama sai iha area Naktuka. Faktus konkretu maka iha fulan Marsu nia laran maizumenus ema atus ida lima nolu husi Indonezia tama mai area Naktuka, UPF rasik laiha terenu hodi halo patrollamentu. Komunidade rasik maka haree hodi kontaktu ba UPF maka foin halo operasaun ba fatin refere. Ida ne’e hatudu katak problema boot ba siguransa komunidade iha area Naktuka no bele sai ameasa ba soberania nasional.

Ho ida ne’e FM hakarak rekomenda katak

1. Rekomenda ba Ministeriu Negosius Estranjeirus no Koperasaun atu aslera lalais negosiasaun ba demarkasaun liña fronteira hodi nune’e bele minimiza konflitu entre komunidade iha area fronteira. Nune’e mos bele fasilita rekonsiliasaun ba komunidade rai-rua ne’ebé halo konflitu iha liña fronteira.

2. Rekomenda ba Komandu PNTL atu establese lalais postu alternativu balun iha liña fronteira Oe-Cusse, liu-liu area disputa sira ne’ebé to’o ohin kontinua sai fatin livre ba movimentu ilegal sira. Nune’e mos fo apoiu fasilidade komunikasaun no ekipamentu hodi fasilita serbisu patrollamentu iha area fronteira.

Problems and Security Concerns along the Oe-cusse Bord

(FM Photo: Site of the Border Line between Timor-Leste – Indonesia, in the Noemna River)

14 years after independence, Timor-Leste is still seeking a final agreement on its Oe-cusse border territories with Indonesia. Two remaining locations—Noel Besi (in Citrana) and Bijael Sunan (in Oben) have ongoing territorial negotiations between the two states. Demarcation of the border continues to move slowly, placing those Timorese living in communities at the border perilous state of security. Frequent outbreaks of conflict between border communities have left Timorese in Oe-cusse with strong concerns for their own safety.

Following the state visit of Indonesian President Joko Widodo in 2015, the two governments formalized an accelerated process for finalizing the remaining border conflicts. However, there has been no noticeable improvement in negotiation or settlement, and the ongoing tensions are creating a rising threat to stability in the region, as well as posing a larger national security threat to the nation. Fundasaun Mahein’s monitoring team in May of this year identified a number of issues critical to security and stability on the Oe-cusse borders:

1. Lack of Security in the Naktuka area

The border area of Naktuka has been disputed since independence. Naktuka is located in Bene Ufi village in the sub-region of Nitibe in Oe-cusse. Bene Ufi Village totals 589 households, and within that a little less than 100 households are within the disputed Naktuta area. Continued conflict in that particular area has left occupants feeling distinctly unsafe, and the two governments have even explicitly recognized this particular area to be in immediate need of border resolution, and, concurrently, conflict mitigation.

In December 2013, there was an incident in which a lia nain (cultural chief) of Oe-cusse was killed in the Naktuta area, suspiciously on the lands of a farm owned by an individual from the Oewein community and from Oepoli in Kupang. This particular killing raised fears for Timorese households in the Naktuta area. In 2014, Fundasaun Mahein held monitoring to track security progress made in Oe-cusse, and concluded that no improvements had been made in community sentiment—people living in the area still felt that they did not live in a peacetime setting, and cited particular alarm and trauma at the sight of constant full Indonesian military patrols in the area.

(FM Photo: An area that the TNI had adopted for illegal patrols)

The two governments have indeed found some success through the border coordination team in resolving border demarcation disputes, but the Naktuta and Leolbatan areas remain potential areas for conflict and weak stability. FM monitoring further concluded that in January and February of this year the Indonesian military ran patrols through the area with heavy weaponry and vehicles, presumably as an intimidation tactic. In March, approximately 150 former Timorese refugees from 1999 who had resituated in Oepoli, Kupang, had illegally entered Naktuta and cleaned out the rice fields. Border Patrol Unit (UPF) sources in Citrana confirmed to FM that this illegal movement and transgression had received no acknowledgement nor response from the UPF.

(The Naktuka area, where in March around 150 people from Oepoli illegally migrated and cultivated the community rice fields)

The public’s concern is simple: why are Indonesian citizens illegally migrating into the Naktuta area, and why is the Indonesian military conducting regular show-of-force patrols through the area? Where is the UPF, and why is there no standing agreement between the UPF and the TNI that mandates UPF approval for any incursions by TNI patrols? The people of the Naktuta area are urging the government to accelerate their resolution of the border areas in order to minimize future tensions and conflicts in their communities.

2. Community hopes for “reconciliation”

Several years after a conflict between the communities of South Village in Oe-cusse and Suin-Sia and Baki-Tolas Villages in Tenggara Timur (NTT), there has still be no formal resolution of the area by the two governments. The conflict in 2013 resulted in three burned and razed houses in the community of Nelu, a neighborhood in South Village. Ongoing tensions from those burnings continue, and could easily flare up into further aggression and violence.

The communities in the Nehu neighborhood still exhibit fears about safety in the area, despite new levels of high security provided by UPF forces. Community fears have now turned from the threat of physical force and violence to other methods of conflict and threats. A given example was the water fountain in Hale used by the community—any sabotage there as an act against the community would severely impact the people’s access to clean water. An incident like this has already occurred, feeding local fears—a pipe leading to the Ba-OP fountain in the area was destroyed, cutting off part of the UPF post’s water supply.

In fear of similar acts being perpetrated in the future, should there be no immediate reconciliation reached, the communities have urged the governments to step in to negotiate local reconciliation processes to mitigate future tension and conflict. Social inequality within communities along the border poses a frequent risk of conflict and outbreaks of violence, and can ultimately affect the security of the larger border area.

3. Patrol progress and the Conditions of the UPF Along the Border

The Border Patrol Unit (UPF) has so far maintained relative control of the border territory in the Oe-cusse region. However, each UPF post on the border faces understaffing and a shortage of resources necessary to maintain a full presence along the border with Indonesia.

FM;s monitoring has concluded that these limitations have begun to pose a significant obstacle in security maintenance along the border. For instance, the Citrana post is not able to conduct regular patrols across its sizable territory due a lack of staff. At the moment, the post’s patrol only extends within a kilometer of the Noemna river, abandoning a large section of the territory extending from the river to the Oepoli area.

These conditions have allowed fairly easily border crossings by Indonesian communities across the border in the Naktuta area and back. There are already concrete examples of this issue—150 people crossed over in March, and the UPF had no units in the field to detect them. The communities observe these crossings and subsequently are forced to contact the UPF to keep them up to speed. The lack of fully functioning border security continues to pose a serious risk for local (and national) security.

In summation, FM recommends that:

1. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation actually accelerate its negotiations on the demarcation of the border lines in order to minimize conflict between communities in the border areas. The Ministry should also facilitate local reconciliation processes for the communities on both sides in order to settle grievances and tensions across borders..

2. The PNTL commander establish alternative posts along the border line of Oe-cusse, particularly in disputed areas that continue to present open holes on the border for illegal migration. The PNTL should also expand its support and provision of facilities and equipment to facilitate expanded and more effective patrols and police services in the border areas.