TEMPO.CO, Dili – Government of Timor Leste has accused the Indonesian government for not informing a free-zone agreement between both countries to its people. The accussation was made after a clash occurred between people from both countries on the border region last Tuesday, October 15.
"This is just a trivial clash between people in the border because Indonesians living in the border has no information about the agreement between both countries," Deputy Foreign Minister of Timor Leste Constancio Pinto stated last Friday, October 18.
Previously, a clash occurred between residents of Nelu Village in the Naibenu District, Northern Central Timor Regency, and the Leolbatan people of the Costa-Oekusi Village, Timor Leste. The clash was triggered by a road construction conducted by the government of Timor Leste in the free-zone.
"The border is located in the Timor Leste territory, in accordance to the agreement between both countries," Pinto added.
However, Eduard Gana, Head of the East Nusa Tenggara Regional Border Management Agency, argued that it was the government Timor Leste who violated the agreement.
"We agree on free zone, which means both sides are not allowed to conduct any activities on the [agreed] location," he said last Thursday, October 17.
JOSE SARITO AMARAL (DILI) | YOHANES SEO (KUPANG)