Manatuto, (28 October 2024) – The CNC I.P. worked alongside the National Police Command of Timor-Leste, Manatuto Municipality conducted a 3-day (28-30) training for 25 (6 females, 19 males) Policemen consisting of the Squadron Commander, the Deputy Squadron Commander, the Operational Commander, and the Section Commanders from the Manatuto’s Administrative Posts of Natarbora, Soibada, Laclubar, Laclo and Laleia—the training aimed to increase their knowledge on History, Human Rights and Transitional Justice.
Eduardo Guterres, the Acting President of the Manututo Municipality Authority, officially opened the training session. He emphasized the importance of this training in enhancing the knowledge of the PNTL about the historical context and the importance of being free from human rights violations. Additionally, Guterres urged the PNTL Command of Manatuto to collaborate with Centro Chega! in preparing to establish the Memorial Museum of Manatuto Municipality, which aims to preserve history and memories.
On the same occasion, Manuel M. Pereira, a President of the Board Administration (BA) of Centro Chega!, said that the training on history, Past Human rights, and Transitional Justice as part of the collective efforts flies us to previous circumstances. Thus, this training hopefully leads us to compromise ourselves so that the painful history of the past will never repeated.
“Our experiences of the past become our lessons. During the Indonesian occupation, lots of people suffered from human rights violations. The people of Timor have deeply felt this violation. Therefore, the role of the state of Timor-Leste is to protect human rights and ensure that such circumstances never be repeated,” said the President of BA.
He noted that the state of Timor-Leste has ratified various international conventions against torture, demonstrating its commitment to ending violence and promoting freedom for all its citizens. However, violence continues to persist within society. It is particularly ironic that this violence still exists within the institutions which are meant to protect citizens. Therefore, the training is essential for sharing experiences and exploring ideas for future improvement. The Centro Chega! was established to ensure that the dark chapters of the past are not forgotten, and it is crucial for creating a future where such violences will never repeated.
The Commander of the PNTL Manatuto Command, Superintendent Police Umbelina dos Santos Soares, stated that the training is crucial for the PNTL Manatuto Command to improve their understanding of history, human rights, and transitional justice.
“It is truly to thank you for the training. I occasionally assist that this training is conducted in the other municipalities, not our Municipal Command. We desire to thank Centro Chega! for conducting this training. Additionally, the reason the commanders from each administrative post were selected to attend is that they play a crucial role in sharing information with their communities and potential leadership within the PNTL institution,” she said.
Meanwhile, according to the planned calendar, this training is scheduled for next year to be conducted for other Municipal Commands, including the Special Administrative Region of Oe-Cusse Ambeno (RAEOA).
(CNC Media)