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An open letter to the Australian Government's maritime boundary negotiating team

7th March, 2005

We, the undersigned citizens of Australia, address this letter to those representatives of our government who will negotiate with representatives of the government of East Timor about maritime boundaries in the Timor Sea.

We strongly believe that the positions you take to these meetings should reflect the views of the people of Australia, the people you represent, and our values of fairness and equity.

East Timor is a country recovering from the ravages of war, with high levels of poverty, malnutrition and infant mortality. Natural resources lying in the Timor Sea, resources which under International Law lie within East Timor's Exclusive Economic Zone, could be an invaluable source of revenue for East Timor.

With their just share of Timor Sea oil and gas revenues, our new neighbours will be able to overcome starvation, illiteracy and preventable disease.

To this end, we firmly request that you:

• conclude a prompt, fair and equitable settlement which reflects East Timor's entitlement under current principles of international law

• agree to set the boundaries between the two nations along the median line, halfway between the coastlines of East Timor and Australia, and with equitable lateral boundaries

• stop unilaterally exploiting contested areas until a just settlement is reached

• place the proceeds Australia has taken from contested petroleum fields into a trust account, pending the settlement of the Timor Sea dispute

While we recognise the dire need East Timor has for revenue, we understand that this is not a matter of charity, but one of justice.

As neighbours, East Timor and Australia have close ties. Thousands of East Timorese were killed helping Australian troops in the Second World War. In 1999, Australian troops were able to return the favour with the deployment of InterFET after the historic ballot for independence.

We the undersigned citizens of Australia want our Government to build on this goodwill between the two nations, respecting the sovereignty of East Timor and the Human Rights of its people.

Initiated by Timor Sea Justice Campaign, Melbourne.

Signed by:
The Hon John Dowd, AO, QC. President of the Australian section of the International Commission of Jurists
Chris Maxwell, QC, Barrister
Julian Burnside, QC
Sam Biondo, Community Development Worker, Fitzroy Legal Service
Peter Singer, Ira W. DeCamp Professor of Bioethics, Princeton University
Janet Hunt, Research Fellow, ANU
John McLaren, Emeritus Professor, Australian and Pacific Studies, Victoria University
Dr Tim Anderson, University of Syndey
Barry Mendelawitz, Clinical Assoc Professor School of Medicine University of Notre Dame Australia
Hamish Ewing, Associate Professor of Surgery, University of Melbourne
John Legge AO, Emeritus Professor, Centre of South East Asian Studies, Monash University
Dr Jean McCaughey AO, retired social researcher
Bill Sobey, Retired CSIRO scientist
Tony Kevin, former Australian diplomat 1968-98 (Australian ambassador to Cambodia 1994-97)
David Bridie, Musician
Deborah Conway, Musician
Paul Stewart, Musician
Dr Martin Wesley-Smith, AM, Composer
Mairead Hannan, Composer, Centenary Medal recipient
James Mollison AO, former director of the National Gallery of Australia and National Gallery of Victoria
Patrick McCaughey, former director of the National Gallery of Victoria
Sharan Burrow, President, Australian Council of Trades Union
Leigh Hubbard, Secretary of the Victorian Trades Hall Council
John Cummins, President of Construction and General Division, CFMEU (Vic)
Ian Melrose, Businessman
Bernard Gerbes, Public Accountant
Louise Redmond, Consultant, corporate responsibility
Mavis Taylor, National Living Treasure
Dr Davis McCaughey AC, former Governor of Victoria
Tom Uren AO, Former Whitlam/Hawke Minister
Bob Brown, Senator for Tasmania
Andrew Bartlett, Senator for Queensland
Glenyys Romanes, Deputy President and Chair of Committees, Legislative Council, Parliament of Victoria
Mary Delahunty, Minister for the Arts and Women's Affairs, Parliament of Victoria
Don Nardella MLA, State Member for Melton
Jenny Mikakos MP, State Member for Jika Jika
Richard Wynne MP, State Member for Richmond, Cabinet Secretary
Rob Hudson MP, State Member for Bentleigh
Mary Gillett MP, Parliamentary Secretary for Commonwealth Games and Women's Affairs
Johan Scheffer, State Member for Monash Province
David Risstrom, Greens Senate Candidate
Dr Phil West, Initiator & Co-founder - The Alannah and Madeline Foundation
Rob Wesley-Smith, Australians for a Free East Timor, Darwin
Rosemary Patterson, East Timor Mission Coordinator for the Carmelite Friars
Lorna and Bill Hannan, educationist and author
Robin Laurie, Circus director
Tim Winton, Author
Arnold Zable, Novelist
Guy Rundle, Writer
Rod Quantock, Comedian
Joseph A. Camilleri, Pax Christi Australia
Bishop Hilton Deakin, and
Shirley Shackleton.

Organisations:
Synod of Victoria and Tasmania, Uniting Church in Australia
Melbourne Catholic Commission for Justice, Development and Peace
Australian Coalition for Economic Justice
Australia-East Timor Association