Indonesia Ready for War

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - The Indonesian government has warned Malaysia to respect the ongoing process of negotiations on the status of the Ambalat block and to stop making provocative moves in the disputed area. "At a time when negotiations are still underway (like today), we hope that all parties can respect the ongoing talks," Political, Legal and Security Affairs Coordinating Minister Widodo AS said here on Saturday.

According to Widodo, the latest developments in the Ambalat block amid frequent provocations committed by Malaysian patrol boats was seen as a big disturbance. "I think, Indonesia’s position is already firm. The basic concept to settle the rising problem is through negotiations," he said.

In fact, Chairman of the House Commission I Theo Sambuaga in a consultative meeting with President Yudhoyono said that sovereignty was a fixed price for Indonesia. "Indonesia is serious in maintaining its sovereignty," he said, adding that so far Indonesia only drove away Malaysian patrol boats encroaching into the Ambalat.

"If ignored, we will resort to firm action or used another mechanism," said Theo. In commenting on the situation in Ambalat, Indonesian Defence Forces Chief Gen. Djoko Santoso said the navy was ready to drive away the violators on border area. "The military is firmly asked to keep taking measures to defend our sovereignty, maritime territory and national jurisdiction."

"Six warships and three aircraft from the Navy are currently deployed there. Probably Malaysian ships are conducting patrols in the area because they claim it as being theirs. However, as soon as they enter our territory we must definitely drive them away," he said "The military principle is that if we want peace, we are also ready for war," Djoko said.

Tedjo Edhy Purdijatno, the Indonesian navy chief of staff, said the navy would continue to guard the Ambalat area with six warships and three military aircraft, he said. "We keep guarding the border, and the measures we take are in line with regulations and the President’s directives. What we do is detecting their (Malaysian vessels) presence, building communication with them, shadowing them and then driving them out of our territory," Tedjo said.

"We have successfully driven them out. On Wednesday morning they also tried to trespass, but again we managed to send them away," he added. Tedjo said Malaysia had trespassed the Ambalat area 76 times in 2007, 23 times in 2008 and 11 times in 2009 as of Wednesday.

Previously, Defense Minister Juwono Sudarsono said such leniant step by driving away the trespassing boats was not an indication that Indonesia was afraid of the various military maneuvers and propaganda shown by the Malaysian warships in the Ambalat Block.

"We are not afraid. So, it is up to them to show their maneuvers and propaganda in the Ambalat area. What is obvious that Ambalat is part of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia," the minister said.

The navy has given a chronological report that included such details as the dates of the incursions or activities of the Malaysian patrol boats in Indonesian territorial waters. Indonesia’s KRI Untung Surapati-872 warship last Sunday managed to drive away a Malaysian warship, the KD Yu-3500, which had tried to trespass Indonesian waters in the Ambalat Block.

A day earlier, the Indonesian Navy’s KRI Hasanudin-366 also drove away KD Baung-3509, a helicopter of the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency, and a Malaysian Beachcraft which tried to enter the Ambalat Block. According to the TNI, nine territorial violations by Malaysian marine and police vessels had happened in the recent past. Based on data obtained from House Commission I for defense affairs, Malaysia has made 11 border violations over Indonesia’s territory since January.

In the meantime, Indonesia has so far already sent 36 protest notes to Malaysia about border violations committed by Malaysian patrol boats in Ambalat waters, a spokesman of the Foreign Ministry, Teuku Faizasyah, said. "The 36th protest note was sent to Kuala Lumpur on Thursday (June 4)," he said.

The latest protest, he further said, was conveyed after getting details from the Indonesian navy on the realities found in the field. The Navy, he said, had given a chronological report including such details as the dates of the incursions or activities of Malaysian patrol boats in Indonesian waters.

By sending the protest notes, Indonesia wanted to make it plain that Ambalat was an area subject to Indonesian sovereignty, he said. The first protest note was delivered to Malaysian government in 1980.

But beside sending the protest notes, the Indonesian government was continuing to use diplomatic channels to arrive at a settlement of the Ambalat issue through negotiations. "The Indonesian government has reminded Malaysia to soon prepare its team for negotiations on our common border problems," Faizasyah said, adding that officials of the foreign ministry continued to coordinate with Malaysian counterparts on settlement of the incidents in the field.

International borders in the Ambalat area have yet to be determined with each country claiming the area as its own. Malaysia claims the area based on a 1979 maritime map while Indonesia bases its claim on provisions in the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Seas (UNCLOS).