Dili – (8th of February 2024), The Members of the Conflict Prevention National Network (RNPK) are from Government Institutions, Civil Societies, Martial and Ritual Arts Organizations, Local Authorities, Security Authorities, Religious Convictions, and Higher Education conducted the 1st 2024 meeting to review the Term of Reference. It becomes a guideline guiding the implementation process of RNPK’s work activities.
The Ministry of Interior representative, Mr. Anacleto C. Ribeiro, remarked that the Conflict Prevention National Network (RNPK), established in 2010, has held two times meetings already during its establishment due to the political situation.
Thus, the IX Constitutional Government, the Ministry of Interior, Francisco Guterres, has an important policy to continue strengthening the Conflict Prevention National Network with mutual entities involved in inter-conflict prevention within the country.
“I think political prevention is too important. It is a development and a peace issue, and both are always together. Political Conflict Prevention for human security and must focus on humans”, said MoI in his opening meeting at the UN Women’s Room, Caicoli, Dili.
The spokesperson of the Minister added that the RNPK members should put ideas on finalizing the ToR. If content related to the actual situation is unnecessary, alter it and keep the good ones continuing, but hopefully, we can reach good results with this meeting.
The Director of the National Directorate for Community Conflict Prevention (DNPKK – Tétum Acronym), Lidia Lopes de Carvalho, thanked the member’s availability to participate in the meeting aimed at ToR reviewing.
She related the new DNPPK structure continues with the formers’ services planned, as in 2023, the former one has organized the meeting and the services’ evaluation, and as a reason, the new DNPPK organizes the meeting to review the Term of Reference.
The United Nations Women Representative, Jeremias, said United Nations Women was pleased to be a part of this to contribute from the ToR development until its implementation. The Network members continue to have mutual collaboration for conflict prevention.
“The development keeps moving. The important is country stability. If there is no stability, there will be unmoving development. If there is good stability established, it has good progress. Therefore, conflict prevention anticipates the coming situations or acts of violence is important”.
The Bairo-Pité head village, Joaninha A. Soares, stated that various conflicts happened within the villages, mostly land conflicts, Martial arts, and other conflicts. Therefore, the DNPKK is responsible for involving the local authorities within this Network.
The Network members’ services must be well-defined, once the mediation is conducted in the field regarding the occurred conflict, it needs a legal basis to guarantee the Network’s judicial procedure services. Thus, once the Network reports to competent authorities to take action on the problems urgently. Otherwise, just bullshots on the ToR but no action.
“Once the conflicts within the villages are identified, the data must be reported back to villages to find the solutions and conduct mini-dialogue on tara-bandu (Traditional Prohibitions). Then, the local authorities conduct meetings with the communities to request their thoughts regarding how tara-bandu can provide conflict resolutions”, he explained.
Head of the Communication and Advocacy Department of Centro Nacional Chega!I.P, Viriato Soares explained Centro Nacional Chega!I.P established as a Public Institute under the Decree Law No.48/2016 with the vision of “The inclusive Societies, history of the past to be unrepeated, live peacefully, and respect human rights” and its mission, “Establishing post-conflict centers, preserving the memories of the past, promoting human values and rights, creating national and international partners, strengthens network services to implement the relevant recommendation made in the Final Report of the Commission for Reception, Truth and Reconciliation (CAVR)-Chega!, and Truth and Friendship Commission (CVA) – Per Memoriam Ad Spem/From Memory to Hope.”
To implement Chega! Report recommendations, therefore Centro Chega! to cooperate with strategic partners collectively with the Community Conflict Prevention National Network to conduct conflict prevention activities.
Therefore, Viriato explained that this is an important Network to gather together various institutions that focus on conflict prevention issues so far to be stronger as we only have a decision and an action.
The Ministry of Interior (MI), through the National Directorate for Conflict Prevention for Community (DNPKK), held this meeting with 33 participants.
Media-CNC
