OPENING REMARKS
H.E. Virgílio da Silva Guterres ‘Lamukan’
Ombudsman for Human Rights and Justice of Timor-Leste
Dili, 27 January 2026
Excellencies,
Distinguished Ambassadors and Members of the Diplomatic Corps,
Honourable representatives of the Government of Timor-Leste,
Development Partners,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is my great pleasure and honour to welcome you all to this Three-Day Workshop on International Migration and Human Rights. I extend my sincere appreciation to the organizers, particularly the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, JICA, and our partners from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, for their strong commitment to advancing understanding and cooperation on this important issue.
International migration is not merely a matter of movement across borders. It is, fundamentally, a human story—a story of hope, survival, dignity, and aspiration. People move in search of safety, employment, education, family reunification, and better opportunities. Yet too often, migration is also accompanied by vulnerability, exploitation, discrimination, and denial of rights.
For Timor-Leste, migration is not a new phenomenon. Our history itself is shaped by displacement, exile, and forced movement during periods of conflict and occupation. Today, migration continues to be a defining feature of our national reality. Thousands of Timorese citizens work abroad, particularly in Australia, the Republic of Korea, United Kingdom, Ireland and other countries, contributing significantly to household incomes and national development through remittances.
At the same time, Timor-Leste is increasingly becoming a country of transit and destination, facing challenges related to irregular migration, trafficking in persons, and labour exploitation. These realities require us to adopt policies and practices that place human rights at the centre of migration governance.
As the National Human Rights Institution of Timor-Leste, the Ombudsman for Human Rights and Justice—PDHJ—has a constitutional mandate to promote and protect human rights and good governance. Migration, therefore, falls squarely within our concern.
From our perspective, three key principles must guide all migration-related policies and actions.
First, migrants are rights-holders. Regardless of their legal status, migrants are entitled to fundamental human rights, including the rights to life, dignity, equality before the law, freedom from torture, forced labour, and exploitation.
Second, states are duty-bearers. Governments must ensure that laws, policies, and administrative practices comply with national constitutions and international human rights standards, and that effective remedies are available when violations occur.
Third, protection requires cooperation. No country can address migration challenges alone. Regional and international cooperation—particularly within ASEAN—is essential to prevent abuses, protect victims, and promote safe, orderly, and regular migration.
We welcome that this workshop will discuss migration from multiple perspectives: labour migration, forced migration, trafficking in persons, and the role of states, ASEAN, and National Human Rights Institutions. This comprehensive approach reflects the complexity of migration itself.
For PDHJ, this workshop is particularly timely. We continue to receive complaints and information related to labour rights violations, recruitment malpractices, and governance gaps affecting migrant workers and their families. Strengthening our institutional capacity to engage on migration issues is therefore a priority.
We also see this workshop as an opportunity to:
- Enhance coordination between government institutions,
- Strengthen understanding of regional protection mechanisms, and
- Encourage participants to translate knowledge into concrete policy and institutional reforms.
Ultimately, protecting migrants’ rights is not only a legal obligation—it is a moral imperative. It reflects the values of humanity, solidarity, and justice that we, as a nation born from struggle, deeply understand.
I encourage all participants to engage actively, share experiences openly, and think critically about how Timor-Leste can strengthen its migration governance in line with human rights principles.
In closing, I once again thank the organizers, resource persons, and partners for making this important workshop possible. I wish you fruitful discussions and meaningful outcomes over the next three days.
Thank you very much.
Obrigadu barak.
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