"Do something before the case came" (Hasjim Djalal). Maintaining national sovereignty is not only a matter of political diplomacy, but must be translated in the field. As an island nation, determine point of the outer base is a first step.
From a number of island countries in the world, Indonesia is one of the largest, according to United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) in 1992. Consequently, the determination of the base points of the outermost is also working hard enough and not easy. According to the international marine law, a distance of two adjacent points if drawn straight line, a maximum of 100 nautical miles.
Great job it must involve experts to ensure the position of these points. Process, register it to the UN secretariat to meet the principle of publicity with the publication in the official site.
On the site's experts work tested: whether diteropong neighboring countries setting a starting point would be the basis of territorial borders and sovereignty is problematic. "From the starting point 193 are deposited at the United Nations, not one who disputed its neighbors," said Head of the Central Limit Area Mapping Coordinating Agency Survey and Mapping Sobar Sutisna, who is also member of the Maritime Boundaries Negotiator Team.
Before determining that the base of 193 points, the team of which involve Bakosurtanal and Hydro-Oceanographic Service Army Navy surveyed more than 300 points during the year 1996-1999. As a basic survey, the team used data Dutch East Indies colonial government.
Before he could be registered in the UN secretariat, revised data due to ownership disputes Sipadan and Ligitan, which they finally decided to belong to Malaysia. As a result, three points at the base of Sipadan and Ligitan replaced in Sebatik Island and Reef Unarang.
The decision was to give greater ocean area because the basic point on the island in the island Bunyu Maratua replaced, which pulls the connecting line from the Coral Unarang be longer cut sea.
By agreement UNCLOS, the starting point at the outermost point of a country's outer islands. Indonesia has 92 outer islands which directly borders with 10 countries.
Lowest ebb
The position of the base points agreed at low tide position. Coordinate point set there. According to Sobar, the occurrence of low tide it has a 18.6-year cycle. That is, not at any time starting point can be seen directly. In fact, very difficult.
According to the international marine law expert Hasjim Djalal, setting a very important starting point because it is an essential element of sovereignty negotiations boundaries of a country. Of the points that, sovereign territory of Indonesia is determined. Therefore, the starting point pascapenetapan countries should continue to monitor or identify its existence.
As the name implies, the basic starting point to the withdrawal line. Located 12 miles out to sea off the territorial sea area, as far as 24 miles an additional zone. Then, a 200-mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ), with essentially the continental shelf boundary.
Top international agreements, the loss of the outer islands of drowning not affect the sovereignty of a country's territory. "As land is lost, but the right of sovereignty over the sea is not," said Hasyim.
The reason, the international marine law recognizes five things, namely the sovereignty of the land, sea, sea, air, and all the resources in it. The entire content of the natural resources within the limits of continental shelf are the property of RI. All activities in the region have permission GoI.
Effective Supervision
The main and important factors related to state sovereignty is an effective supervision. Regular visits to border areas and outer islands, although uninhabited, highly recommended. Former Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Sarwono Kusumaatmadja story.
While in office he visited an island in West Kalimantan. An old man there that he did not know the name of the governor. He knew the President was Sukarno. However, he knew well the names of the Thai fishing boat skipper following the ship hull numbers as they often carry the sick people.
Therefore, the real presence of government in the border region of the absolute. Inhabited or not, as long as there is regular monitoring, no need to worry about annexation of the island by other countries. "There's perception is wrong, as if the ownership of an island depends on the presence or absence of people," said Sobar.
Problem supervision makes Sipadan and Ligitan fell into the hands of Malaysia. The British government now controlled Malaysia recorded activity in the two islands, while the Dutch East Indies did not. The Miangas island that is geographically closer to the Philippines remains a territory of Indonesia for the Dutch East Indies had evidence of activity there.
Reflecting on the experience, Hasjim reminded, effective monitoring on the outer islands and the territorial boundaries of Indonesia should be done intensively. "Do something before the case came".
By Gesit Ariyanto
Source: cetak.kompas.com
