Ainaro, June 20, 2026 – The Centro Nacional Chega! I.P., in collaboration with the Timorese Reconciliation Process Task Force (GT-PRT), successfully facilitated a Peace Dialogue between the communities of Mauchiga and Mulo (Dare) villages, Hatubuilico Administrative Post, Ainaro Municipality. Peace dialogue commenced with a traditional ceremony of matak malirin ‘the green and the cool’ led by traditional leaders (lia-na’in) according to Hatubuilico customs. This traditional ritual was performed to formalize customary laws and prohibitions (ukun no bandu), effectively resolving past misunderstandings, mistrust, and mutual grievances regarding community participation in the uprising of August 20, 1982.
Based on testimonies delivered by the lia-na’in, historical witnesses, and community representatives, it was clarified that the event should be officially recognized as the “Mauchiga–Dare Uprising” rather than the “Dare–Mauchiga Uprising.” This distinction recognizes that the strategy and planning organized in Mauchiga, while the Uprising of August 20, 1982, manifested in the assault on the Indonesian military headquarters in Dare.
Following these declarations, the Peace Dialogue Panel drafted an official agreement titled the Act of Concordance for the Strengthening of Peace and historical Harmonization, signed by Mauchiga and Mulo-Dare communities and witnessed by state authorities.
A distinguished delegation of state institutions and dignitaries also signed, including:
- Presidency of the Republic represented by Alexandrino Xavier de Araújo.
- António Verdial de Sousa Gama, the President of Commission A – Speaker for Justice and Constitutional Affairs, represented the President of the National Parliament.
- Ministry of National Liberation Combatants Affairs (MKLN): Minister Gil da Costa Monteiro (“Oan Soru”).
- National Council of Liberation Combatants (CCLN): President Vidal de Jesus (“Riak Leman”).
- Other Key Representatives from the Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of State Administration, the Press Council, and the President of the Ainaro Municipal Authority, Manuela Georgina Carmo B. Cortereal, alongside various other entities.
The peace agreement outlines specific state-supported reparative measures for the Mauchiga and Dare communities, which include:
- Monuments & Memorials: Constructing a central monument officially named the “Memorial of the Mauchiga–Dare Uprising – 20 August 1982” alongside site-specific markers at historical locations related to the event.
- Historical Preservation: Conducting deep academic research for the history of the Mauchiga-Dare (Mulo) uprising, and establishing a Municipal Memorial Museum in Ainaro to preserve the history of the past.
- Joint Commemorations: Organizing future commemorations of the uprising through a rotating joint organizing committee, alternating the host location each year between Mauchiga and Dare (Mulo) –
- Victim Support: Ensuring the State and Government provide ongoing support to victims and survivors.
The event concluded with a thanksgiving Mass presided over by the Parish Priest of Hatubuilico, Father Francisco Soares Fernandes, followed by a fraternal exchange of greetings among participants to celebrate the successful resolution.
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