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Managing maritime border incidents
The incident in Tanjung Berakit waters, the waters north of Bintan and Batam Islands between Indonesia and Malaysia, that occurred recently between Indonesia and Malaysia, has been resolved
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he incident in Tanjung Berakit waters, the waters north of Bintan and Batam Islands between Indonesia and Malaysia, that occurred recently between Indonesia and Malaysia, has been resolved.
However, the problem of maritime boundaries is far from over. Experts, lawmakers, and government officials from the two countries quickly pointed out that both governments had to speed up negotiations on border disputes to end frequent clashes.
As both governments prepare for negotiation, they need to consider covering three additional agendas focusing on the prevention and management of future incidents.
These frameworks need to be discussed by the two countries and implemented in parallel with negotiations to settle the definitive status of maritime borders.
Indonesia and Malaysia have ongoing maritime disputes in the Malacca Strait, the South China
Sea, the Sulawesi Sea, and in the waters north of Bintan and Batam Islands, where the recent incident occurred.
The dispute occurred when Malaysian Marine Police detained three Indonesian Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry inspectors after the latter and other Indonesian officers, who had arrested seven Malaysian fishermen for trespassing and illegally fishing in Indonesian waters, ignored the Malaysian officers’ warning shots.
Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa said the arrest of the three officials and the interception of the Malaysian fishermen happened in waters Indonesia had laid claim to.
This case, of course, is not the first time for Indonesia and Malaysia. Last year, the Ambalat bloc dispute almost escalated into a naval skirmish.
All these facts reveal that other solutions to deal with the prevention and management of such incidents at disputed border areas are needed.
The first solution requires both countries to reach agreement concerning territories that are still being disputed, and produce documentation accordingly.
This can be achieved while the two countries maintain their legitimate claim over the disputed areas.
Hopefully, this will prevent any confusion that could lead to national-scale crises in the future.
The next step is to educate the “stakeholders” of ocean space and resources, from local communities, to public officials, to the private sector.
Each national government should design a dissemination program on the agreement on unresolved maritime borders, as well as the importance of respecting the disputed borders.
This program needs to be designed mainly for local government, fishermen whose livelihood depends on the ocean resources, and border patrol officers.
Last but not least, both countries need to improve procedures to handle future violations, misunderstandings and armed clashes in disputed maritime border areas. Both countries should jointly guard the agreed unresolved territories, and address any issues that might arise in the future quickly.
This means better coordination between border patrol officers and local embassies and consulates within each country. A quick response should prevent domestic fury in both countries.
The writer is a lecturer in the Department of International Relations, Parahyangan Catholic University.
