Do you know that deep inside Indonesia’s East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) province, sits Oecusse, a coastal district that officially flies the flag of Timor-Leste?
In geography, this unique setup is called an exclave. An exclave is a portion of a state, country, or district that separated from its main mainland and surrounded by another nation.
Oecusse sits over 200 kilometers away from Timor-Leste’s capital, Dili. Instead, it is bordered by Indonesian districts like Kupang and North Central Timor.
So, how did this happen?
The History of Oecusse
The story of Oecusse began in the 16th century when European explorers sailed the world in search of resources. Portuguese ships arrived on the island and made their very first landing in Pante Makasar, which is now the capital of Oecusse.
A little fun fact, the name Pante Makasar actually comes from the legendary sailors of Makassar, South Sulawesi, Indonesia. They used to camp there while waiting for favorable winds after sailing and before heading back to their hometown.
Moreover, according to Britannica, because it was their first landing site, the Portuguese quickly colonized the area. However, the Dutch arrived in 1613 and seized control of the western part of Timor Island. For centuries, the two European powers fought for control over the island.
To end the endless fighting, they signed the Treaty of Lisbon in 1859. This agreement officially split the island in two.
The Dutch took the west (which became Indonesia's NTT), while the Portuguese kept the east (which became Timor-Leste). Moreover, because Oecusse was the first place where the Portuguese landed in Timor, the treaty allowed Portugal to keep it.
When Portugal left in 1975, Indonesia integrated Timor Leste as its 27th province, known as Timor Timur. However, following a historic referendum in 1999, Timor Timur chose independence and became the sovereign nation of Timor-Leste in 2002.
Since Timor-Leste was never colonized by the Dutch, Oecusse naturally returned to its historical home country. Today, the enclave operates as a special autonomous region.
The government transformed it into a special economic zone to boost trade and tourism. To manage this unique border, Indonesia runs several active border posts, including the Napan, Wini, and Motaain checkpoints, ensuring smooth travel between the two nations.
Oecusse and Its Close Relationship to Indonesia
Despite the international border, Oecusse maintains a very close relationship with Indonesia. In fact, Indonesian state-owned enterprises played a massive role in building the enclave's most critical infrastructure.
Between 2015 and 2018, the Indonesian construction company PT Wijaya Karya transformed an abandoned, unpaved airstrip into the modern Oecusse International Airport. This 119-million-dollar project employed over 500 workers from both nations. When it opened, the Governor of NTT even attended the grand ceremony alongside the President of Timor-Leste.
Additionally, another Indonesian company, PT Waskita Karya, also supplied the vital concrete girders to build the Tono-Noefefan road network. Today, Oecusse stands as a beautiful example of how a strange colonial border can turn into a bridge of peaceful cooperation and shared growth.
