Pasir Island Never Becomes Part Of The Indonesian Territory, Ministry Of Foreign Affairs: There Is An NTT Traditional Fisherman Agreement Allowed To Search For Fish

Sand Island or Ashmore Reef (black circle). (Source: Google Maps)

JAKARTA - The Director General of Law and International Agreement (Dirjen HPI) of the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs L. Amrih Jinangkung emphasized that Sand Island or Ashmore Reef was never part of Indonesian territory based on international law.

The problem of the Island of Pasir has attracted attention, after the wishes of the holder of the Mandate on the Rights of the Indigenous People of the Timor Sea, Ferdi Tanoni, threatened to file a lawsuit for ownership of the island by Australia to the Australian Commonwealth Court in Canberra.

"The territory of the Republic of Indonesia based on international law is the former Dutch East Indies region, in this context, Pasir Island has never been part of the Dutch East Indies region," he explained in a virtual press briefing, Thursday, October 27.

"After Indonesia's independence, Pasir Island did not become part of the region. The Dutch East Indies also did not protest the island's claims by the British," he continued.

Previously, the Director General of Amrih explained that the basis for international law on island ownership was the principle of Uti Possidetis Juris, which is the principle that regulates that a newly independent country inherits the boundaries of its predecessor.

He explained that referring to the 1957 Declaration of Djuanda, as well as Law No. 4 of 1960, Sand Island is not included in the territory of the Republic of Indonesia and on the maps after that year are also excluded.

"To accommodate traditional fishermen from NTT, Indonesia and Australia made an agreement to accommodate 1974, perfected 1981 and 1989, regulated regarding the rights of traditional NTT fishermen to carry out traditional fishing activities around the island, because they have always been tradsional fishermen for NTT to fish," he concluded.