The dramatic transformation of Australia's northern seas--from an ignored backwater to the most militarized and fiercely guarded waters in the region--is chronicled in this fascinating volume. Once a bridge between two coastlines and two cultures, in the last years of the 20th century the Timor Sea has become Australia's frontline against the threat of invasion. When Australia expanded its territorial boundaries by 200 nautical miles in 1979, its territory reached the doorstep of eastern Indonesia--an occupation driven by ...
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The dramatic transformation of Australia's northern seas--from an ignored backwater to the most militarized and fiercely guarded waters in the region--is chronicled in this fascinating volume. Once a bridge between two coastlines and two cultures, in the last years of the 20th century the Timor Sea has become Australia's frontline against the threat of invasion. When Australia expanded its territorial boundaries by 200 nautical miles in 1979, its territory reached the doorstep of eastern Indonesia--an occupation driven by the concept of "mare nullius," the idea that the sea was empty and that no one would suffer for their claims. But for the traditional fishermen of West Timor, these waters represented the source of their livelihood, and this powerful story includes the struggles of a people evicted from their seas.
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