Jakarta, MINA – Indonesia has formally requested clarification from Timor-Leste after an Indonesian citizen, Paulus Kaet Oki, sustained a gunshot wound to his right shoulder during a border clash in Inbate village, North Central Timor regency, East Nusa Tenggara.
The incident occurred when Timor-Leste’s armed patrol unit allegedly fired rubber bullets at villagers amid tensions over disputed border barrier construction.
Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesman Vahd Nabyl A Mulachela confirmed that Indonesia’s Ambassador to Dili, Okto Dorinus Manik, had been dispatched to the site to coordinate on-ground responses and ensure medical treatment for the injured citizen.
The Indonesian Embassy in Dili has officially sought clarification from Timor-Leste’s Foreign Ministry regarding the shooting.
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The conflict stems from differing interpretations of a 2005 preliminary border agreement. Timor-Leste’s recent construction of border barriers in Inbate provoked local villagers who claim the structures encroach on 12.5 hectares of ancestral farmland.
Despite a 2024 pledge by both nations to resolve border issues during Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao’s visit to Bogor, a full agreement on land boundaries remains pending.
Timor-Leste has not yet issued an official statement on the incident. []
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
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