Dili, 11 June 2025 – The Ombudsman for Human Rights and Justice, Virgílio da Silva Guterres “Lamukan”, accompanied by the Executive Secretary, Ambrosio Graciano Soares, and the Director of the Maliana Territorial Delegation, Domingos Pinto Tavares, held a meeting with the President of the Ermera Municipal Authority, José Martinho dos Santos Soares, and his team. The purpose of the meeting was to request the Authority’s support in providing space to accommodate two PDHJ focal points who will be stationed in Ermera Municipality.
This initiative aims to bring PDHJ services closer to the people of Ermera. Communities will no longer need to travel to Dili or Maliana to file complaints related to human rights violations or issues of good governance, as these matters can now be addressed locally in Gleno. The Ombudsman emphasized that this move will significantly reduce the distance and burden on citizens seeking assistance.
The Ombudsman also recommended to the President of the Authority to ensure that future decentralization plans for local markets place them near communities, as was done with Comoro and Merkado Lama markets, to ease access for buyers, especially those without transportation. Furthermore, the Ombudsman encouraged the strengthening of the Public Relations function within the Municipal Administration so that the Authority can more effectively share information and respond when media reports contain inaccuracies.
In response, the President of the Ermera Municipal Authority welcomed the request and confirmed his commitment to support the deployment of the PDHJ focal points. He offered a cobby house behind the Administration Office as a workspace for them. The President also expressed satisfaction with this initiative, noting that it will help improve public service delivery and accountability. Regarding the Gleno Market, he assured that decentralization efforts will prioritize proximity to communities. He also thanked the Ombudsman for the suggestion to further strengthen Public Relations within the Administration.
The meeting took place at the Meeting Room of the Ermera Municipal Authority in Gleno on 11 June 2025.
This post is also available in: Tetun