“𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐥𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐫𝐮𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞,” 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐝𝐨𝐫 𝐝𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝟐𝟎𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐏𝐃𝐇𝐉

Dili, 30 May 2024 – The Timor-Leste Ombudsman for Human Rights and Justice celebrated its twenty-year anniversary with PDHJ Night at the Delta Nova hall on May 26. This event gathered government officials, including the Head of the Civil House representing the President of the Republic, former Provedores and Deputies, civil society organizations, and both national and international partners.Provedor Virgilio da Silva Guterres Lamukan encapsulated his reflections with C-3:

“Acknowledging the past (congratular o passado), Celebrating the present (celebrar o presente), and Striving towards the future (caminhar para o futuro).” He began by honoring the members of the Constitutional Assembly who enshrined the Provedor of Human Rights and Justice in Article 27 of the Constitution. He praised the founding staff and former Provedores and Deputies for their dedication. “Despite numerous constraints, they exerted their utmost efforts.” Additionally, he honored the independence heroes, remarking, “Through their sacrifices, our nation emerged, leading to the establishment of Ombudsman Offices.”

Regarding the present, Provedor Lamukan questioned what there was to celebrate. He acknowledged that the only cause for celebration was the continued existence of the Ombudsman office despite facing numerous challenges over the past two decades. However, he noted that the current social reality, demanding improvement, was not something to celebrate. He emphasized that just as the people were the focus and inspiration during the war, they should not be held responsible for the failures of their leaders in independent Timor-Leste. Lamukan stressed that amidst the complexities of the present, the work of this independent institution remains crucial.

Despite the challenges, Lamukan expressed optimism about progress. “The PDHJ possesses immense competence, yet reality mirrors a child attempting to walk in their father’s oversized boots. Even though the boot is too big and heavy, with our steadfast commitment and the support of our partners, we will undoubtedly stride forward.”Said Lamukan. He articulated his vision for a future where every citizen actively advocates for human rights, comprehends, and fulfills their obligations alongside their rights.

The event also witnessed the launch of PDHJ’s annual report for 2023, the Strategic Plan 2024-2028, and the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between AJAR and PDHJ, aimed at bolstering collaborative efforts to promote human rights awareness in public policy across all state institutions.

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