Legal Conflicts in the Border Dispute between Indonesia and Timor Leste

  • Dominikus Rato University of Jember, Indonesia

Abstract

This study aims to find the pattern of dependable approach in the border dispute settlement between Indonesia and Timor Leste in Oecusse. Historically, the community lived in the border area came from one ancestor. Because of social-political problems, however, the community subsequently followed the trajectory for which the partition between Indonesia and Timor Leste was undeniable. As a result of the partition, in the context, adat land should become the collective right of the community, which is situated under one adat law system but in the different national jurisdictions. This study questions on what causes collective land conflicts at the border of these countries. Using socio-legal and local wisdom approaches, as it is subsequently analyzed according to adat law, the study finds the cause that emerged as the result of the legal conflict between adat law and state law. If the state hands over the problem to adat communities or traditional leaders, based on their adat law dispute resolution, the conflict will resolve quickly. This study recommends the two states, Indonesia and Timor Leste, to provide the dispute resolution to adat or traditional leaders based on their adat law.


Keywords: Legal Conflicts, Border Dispute, Adat Law.

Author Biography

Dominikus Rato, University of Jember, Indonesia

Dominikus Rato is a Professor of Adat Law at the Faculty of Law, University of Jember, Indonesia.

References

Achadiat, Anto, Settlement of Disputes and Destruction of Kinship: The Case of Land Disputes in the Ruteng Community in Manggarai Regency, West Flores, East Nusa Tenggara. In T.O. Ihromi (editor) Legal Anthropology. A Potpourri. (Jakarta: Indonesia Torch Foundation, 1993).

Batubara, Harmen, 2013, Border Region, Border Conflict RI-Timor Leste The More I am, Posted on January 31st.

Benda-Beckmann, Franz von, Anthropology and Comparative Law. In Anthropology of Law in the Nederlands. Editor Keebat von Benda-Beckmaan and Strijbosch, (Dordrecht: Foris Publication, 1986).

Benda-Beckmann, Keebat Von & Betram Turner, Legal-Pluralism, Social Theory, and the State. The Journal of Legal-Pluralism and Unofficial Law, 50:3, 255-274. DOI:10.1080/03729.113.2018.1532674. (Routledge: Taylor&french Group, 2018).

Bob Sugeng Hadiwinata, Sejarah Perbatasan Indonesia-Timor Leste. Dalam Gane Wuryandari (Ed.) (Yogyarakta: Pustaka Pelajar, 2009).

Cornell University Law School, 1992, Legal Information Institute. Conflict of Laws. In www.cornell.edu.

de Sa’-Noueira, Bernardo, 2012, Why was It Nearly Forgotten? The 3014 Agreda Treaty between Fernando IV of Castille Greda and Jaume II of Aragon. e-JPH, Vol. 10, Number 2, Winter 2012, p. 1-22.

Direktorat Jenderal Strategi Pertahanan Direktorat Wilayah Pertahanan, Optimalisasi Penanganan Wilayah Perbatasan RI-RDTL Dalam Rangka Menjaga Keutuhan Wilayah RI. (Jakarta: Dirjen Strategi Pertahanan, 2007).

Duka, Atty D., 1977, Struggle for Freedom. A Textbook on Philippine Story. Manila: Book Store, Inc. (RBSI), Nocanor Reyes.

Durpet, Baudouin, 2007, Legal Pluralism, Plurality of Laws, and Legal Practices. In
European Journal of Legal Studies: Issue 1. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/32232289Legal_Pluralism_Plurality_of_Laws _and _Legal_Practices. Diakses 27 September 2019.

Gunther, Teubner, 1986, Dillemas of Law in The Welfare State. In Eureopean University Institute – Series A3. Gurvitch, Georges. Sosiologi Hukum. (Jakarta: Bhratara, 1996).

Holemann, J.F., Trouble-Cases and Trouble-less Cases in the Study of Customary Law and Legal Reform. Anthropology of Law in the Nederlands. Editor Keebat von Benda-Beckmaan and Strijbosch, (Dordrecht: Foris Publication, 1954).

Ikechi Onah, Emmanuel, 2015, The Role of TransBorder Ethnic Groups in Intra-State and Inter-StateConflict ini Africa. Journal of Borderlands Studies. Publish online: 04 Mar 2015, p. 85-95.

Indra Pahlevi, Pengelolaan Pemerintahan di Wilayah Perbatasan. (Jakarta: P3DI Setjen DPR RI, 2011).

Kolne, Y. 2014, Implementasi Perjanjian Perbatasan RI-RDTL dalam Upaya Penyelesaian Masalah Perbatasan (Studi Kasus di Kabupaten TTU – RI dengan Distrik Oeccuse – RDTL). Jurnal POLITIKA, Vol. 5, No. 1, Oktober.

Komnas HAM, Komentar Umum Kovenan Internasional Hak-hak Sipil dan Politik, Kovenan Internasional Hak-hak Ekonomi, Sosial dan Budaya, (Jakarta: Komnas HAM, 2009).

Llewellyn, Karl & Adamson E. Hoebel, The Cheyenne Way: Conflict and case Law in Primitive Jurisprudence. (Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1941).

Luhmann, Niklas, 1987, Rechtssoziologie, 3 Auflage. (Opladen: Westdeutcher Verlag, 1987). NE-GT.

M. Adnan Amal, Kepulauan Rempah-Rempah: Perjalanan Sejarah Maluku 1250-1950. (Jakarta: Kepustakaan Gramedia, 2010).

Nader L. & H.F Todd Jr (ed.), Dispute Processes-Law in Ten Societies. (Columbia: University press, 1978).

Nowel, C.E., 1945, The Treaty of Tordesillas and the Diplomatic Backround of American Histories. Greater America. Bercelay: Bercelay, 1-18.

NTT Province Border Management Agency, 2010, Report on the Handling of Inter-State Boundaries between RI and RDTL in North Central Timor Regency and Kupang Regency in East Nusa Tenggara Province. Kupang: BPP-NTT.

Rato, Dominikus, 2015, Desain Penyelesaian Konflik Perbatasan NKRI-RDTL Dengan Pendekatan Budaya. Makalah Diskusi/Workshop Penyelesaian Sengketa Perbatasan. Atambua: Panitia Pelaksana.

Rato, Dominikus dan Ermanto Fahamsyah, 2014, Penyelesaian Sengketa Tanah Adat Berbasis Kearifan Lokal Di Perbatasan Indonesia – Timor Leste Di Kabupaten Kupang Nusa Tenggara Timur. Laporan Penelitian Strategi Nasional Yang Didanai DP2M Dikti. Jember: LP2M Universitas Jember, yang didanai oleh DP2M Dikti.

Rheinstein, Max, t.t, Conflict of Laws. http://www.britannica.com/topic/conflict-of- laws, diakses 8 agustus 2015.

Ricklefs, M.C., A History of Modern Indonesia Since C. 1300, Second Edition. (London: Macmillan, 1991).

Sartono Kartodirjo, Pengantar Sejarah Indonesia Baru: 1500-1906 dari Emporium sampai Imperium Jilid I. (Jakarta: Gramedia, 1992).

Saut Fernandez, Raymundus, Laporan Tertulis Pemerintahan TTU. Atambua: Pemerintah Kabupaten Timor Tengah Utara (TTU). 2014, Laporan Pemasangan Tiang Listrik di Lokasi Nefo Nunpo Desa Haumeni Ana Kec.Bikomi Nilulat. (Kupang: BPP-NTT, 2012).

Simmons, Beth A., 2005, Rules over Real Estate: Trade, Territorial Conflict, and
International Borders as Institution. The Journal of Conflict Resolution. Vo. 49,
No. 6 (Des. 2005), pp. 823-848. Publisched by: Sage Publications. Inc.
https://www.jstor.org/ stable/30045138.

Soetandyo Wignjosoebroto, t.t., Perspektif Teoritik para Perintis Sosiologi Hukum dari Masa Belahan Akhir Abad 19 dan Awal Abad 20 (Mrx, Meine, Durkheim, dan Weber). Surabaya: UNAIR.

Tamanaha, Brian Z., 2007, Understanding Legal Pluralism: Past to Present, Local to Global. Sydney Law Review, Vol. 30-375. pp. 376-411.

Yasuo Miyakawa, 2000, The Changing Iconography of Japanese Political Geography. GeoJournal, Vol. 52, No. 4. Iconographies, p. 345-352.
Published
2019-12-31
How to Cite
RATO, Dominikus. Legal Conflicts in the Border Dispute between Indonesia and Timor Leste. Lentera Hukum, [S.l.], v. 6, n. 3, p. 349-370, dec. 2019. ISSN 2621-3710. Available at: <https://jurnal.unej.ac.id/index.php/ejlh/article/view/14185>. Date accessed: 27 dec. 2024. doi: https://doi.org/10.19184/ejlh.v6i3.14185.
Section
Articles

Most read articles by the same author(s)

Obs.: This plugin requires at least one statistics/report plugin to be enabled. If your statistics plugins provide more than one metric then please also select a main metric on the admin's site settings page and/or on the journal manager's settings pages.