Dili, 03 July 2024 (Média Democracia) – Centro Nacional Chega held a dialogue with victims and survivors with the theme “HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS AND REPARATION TOWARDS VICTIMS.” This activity was held in the CNC Conference hall on Wednesday
Executive Director of the Centro Nacional Chega, Hugo María Fernandes said that yesterday was the third day of the actual meeting held by the Centro Nacional Chega (CNC) with the international advisory board appointed by the Prime Minister to hold meetings once a year with the Chega to hear about the progress of the CNC’s work.
“Today we held a meeting with conflict victims who survived to hear directly what Chega has done so far, what needs to be improved based on the observations of what was good, what needs to be improved again according to the victims and what things need to be added for the victims, therefore today we will hear from the victims what their hopes are for the Centro Nacional Chega, so that the international advisory board members can recommend to the Chega, the administrative council and also the directive council, how to answer questions submitted by the victims.” Said the Executive Director.
On July 1, the council members in Chega heard about the orientation so two days ago they held a meeting with the Prime Minister and the Deputy Ministry of Parliament to hear the general orientation therefore yesterday held this dialogue to listen to the concerns of the victims.
The Director informed the council members of the 9 people mentioned by the Prime Minister who were in two categories such as, First, for those who in the long term of Timor’s independence as activists carried out large movements in their country to support our independence. Second, for someone who is an expert in their academic field, another thing is that because they are popular they are not only popular in their country but also in other countries.
“Therefore, it can help Centro Chega to work more in other countries, the 9 people come from Indonesia, Malaya, Cambodia, the Philippines, Coimbra Portugal, Canada, South Africa, Japan and Peru, all since the independence struggle, they are activists and support our civil society, some are experts and some are professors at universities. They are named for three years and they come for meetings here once a year and the government doesn’t pay them but they work voluntarily, just paying for their travel.” The Director said
The intention of this meeting is how to get more ideas and recommendations from the victims regarding the progress achieved, how to add work or improve other things that have not been done so far and therefore want to recommend to Chega to do more.
As a survivor, Maria Isabel da Silva said in an interview that as a victim of sexual violence during the Indonesian colonial era and currently she is taking refuge in the Klibur Trilampu association with the NGOs AJAR, CNC.IP and the Association of Political Prisoners asking the government to recognize the contribution of their fight in the past
“We, as victims of sexual violence in the past from 1974 to 1999, are now taking refuge in the Klibur Trilampu association to gather other female victims from the municipality including RAEOA, now working together with the AJAR CNC victims’ Association and the Political Prisoners Association to detain and identify those who remain in rural areas who do not have access to this information, and we have taken a lot of data on how to convey it to the government so that we can be dignified in our war participation as victims, also as citizens of this country so that we can obtain preparation from the government and recognition of our contribution as victims in the process of war in the past.” Maria Isabel said
The survivor added that currently they together with an NGO to create a program called “BUKAE” to identify victims in rural areas so they can access information so they can get support from related parties.
“Currently, together with NGOs Hakbit and AJAR, we are holding a program called “BUKAE” which aims to get support from NGO JSF to support us so that we can make temporary repairs and children can access education so they can continue their studies”. She added
The survivors also asked the Timor-Leste government to recognize their contribution during the war as victims because in the long war process they experienced a lot of violence, according to international law when victims experience violence in the war time process and the perpetrators who carry out these actions must be held accountable or the country is take it.
She added that in the provisions of law 48 Centro Chega mandates how to be responsible towards survivors, so far Chega has done a lot of work such as building houses, providing health services, providing scholarships to victim children, supporting the humanitarian economy and many other things that it done by Centro Chega.
Hugo Maria fernandes stated that last week CNC opened 18 houses, one in Au-hun, Culuhun and the last in Aissirimou, this year Chega plans to build two or three houses, therefore regarding scholarships CNC has already done it in the first step, CNC itself provides scholarships and is now collaborating with FDCH to provide scholarships to child victims.
“But we also continue to make efforts with the government, especially several ministries that have house building programs, as well as partnerships between Centro Chega and the relevant ministries, so that they build houses for survivors and attribute them, regarding scholarships like what CNC previously did for one person but in now CNC has made an agreement with FDCH for 27 children of victims who will receive scholarships.” Hugo said
Reported by : Basílio & Estefania
Picture by Estefania
