Dili, 20 October 2026 – A team of trainers from the Office of the Provedor for Human Rights and Justice (PDHJ), the United Nations Human Rights Advisory Unit (UADU), and the Police Training Centre (CFP) is conducting a five-day human rights training programme for 25 officers of the National Police of Timor-Leste (PNTL) in Dili.
The training aims to strengthen police officers’ knowledge and practical understanding of human rights in their daily duties, promote professional policing, and ensure that officers are familiar with national laws, international standards, and human rights principles. It also seeks to prepare PNTL officers to contribute effectively to United Nations peacekeeping missions around the world.
Speaking at the training session at the CFP Training Centre in Comoro, Dili, on 20 October, Dili Municipal Police Commander Chief Inspector Gaspar Lopes expressed his appreciation to the PDHJ for its continued commitment to strengthening the capacity of the national police.
He emphasised the importance of developing a professional police force that possesses the necessary knowledge, respects human rights, and serves the public with integrity and responsibility.
Chief Inspector Lopes also highlighted the operational challenges facing the PNTL, particularly in Dili, where the population continues to grow while many police officers are ageing and their operational capacity is declining. As the capital, Dili attracts people from different municipalities for economic and other activities, creating diverse public security challenges that require effective and timely police responses.
He expressed hope that the training would further enhance officers’ knowledge and enable them to perform their duties more professionally, in accordance with universal human rights principles, while contributing to peace, unity, and public safety within their communities.
In his opening remarks, Provedor for Human Rights and Justice Virgílio da Silva Guterres “Lamukan” emphasised that, in a democratic state governed by the rule of law, all public institutions, including the PDHJ and the PNTL, must operate in accordance with the Constitution and applicable laws.
He explained that human rights are not merely the responsibility of the PDHJ or the United Nations, nor are they optional principles that institutions may choose to follow or ignore. Rather, they are fundamental obligations rooted in Timor-Leste’s Constitution.
“Article 1 of the Constitution of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste establishes that our country is a sovereign, independent, democratic state based on the will of the people and the dignity of the human person. These two fundamental principles must guide our Constitution, government practices, and the conduct of all public officials, including those working in security institutions,” the Provedor stated.
He further explained that Timor-Leste’s democratic system differs fundamentally from the authoritarian regimes experienced during the Indonesian occupation and Portuguese colonial rule. Under authoritarian systems, military and security forces could exercise power according to the wishes of the ruling authority. In a democratic state governed by the rule of law, however, security institutions must respect the law, the will of the people, and the inherent dignity of every person.
The Provedor also acknowledged the challenges highlighted by the Dili Municipal Police Commander, particularly the imbalance between population growth and police capacity. Although recruitment efforts are underway, he stressed the importance of ensuring that the police force has sufficient personnel, physical readiness, and operational capacity to respond rapidly and effectively to emergencies and public disorder.
He expressed hope that the five-day training would provide practical knowledge that participants could apply in their respective workplaces and encouraged police leadership to continue supporting professional development and human rights education within the institution.
Meanwhile, Amelia de Araujo, representing the United Nations Human Rights Advisory Unit (UADU), reaffirmed the Unit’s commitment to working closely with PNTL leadership, relevant training institutions, and the PDHJ to identify priorities and explore how technical cooperation could better respond to the needs of the national police.
“Our shared objective is to ensure that human rights principles are not treated as a separate or purely theoretical subject, but become an integral part of police training, decision-making, operational procedures, and everyday professional practice,” she said.
She expressed confidence that closer institutional cooperation would contribute to a sustainable approach to human rights education within the PNTL and further strengthen human rights protection in Timor-Leste.
The training for 25 PNTL officers from Dili Municipality is being held at the PNTL Training Centre in Comoro, Dili, from 20 to 24 October 2026.
This post is also available in: Tetun