HAK Holds Press Conference to Mark 29 Years of Human Rights Struggle

Dili, August 20, 2025 (Média Democracia) – The Human Rights Foundation (Indonesian acronym: HAK) held a press conference to commemorate 29 years of struggle for human rights (20 August 1996–20 August 2025). The event was held at HAK’s office in Farol, Dili.

HAK spokesperson, Marina Galucho, said that HAK, as one of the oldest human rights organizations in Timor-Leste, was established on 20 August 1996 and now marks their 29^th anniversary. HAK’s work focuses on strengthening and promoting human rights throughout the national territory, which is divided into three regions: Region I (Municipalities of Manatuto, Baucau, Viqueque, and Lautem); Region II (Municipalities of Aileu, Ainaro, Manufahi, and Covalima); and Region III (Municipalities of Dili, Ermera, Liquiça, Bobonaro, and the Special Administrative Region of Oecusse-Ambeno).

HAK’s main programs include Transitional Justice, through which HAK accompanies victims of sexual violence during the Second World War in Timor-Leste under Japanese military occupation, as well as victims of human rights violations during the Indonesian military occupation. HAK also works to advocate for policies to improve agricultural production, agricultural subsidy distribution, extentionist programs in rural areas, and basic infrastructure in the agricultural sector, such as irrigation construction and maintenance.

She added that HAK also provides training to community leaders, Village Police Officers (OPS), NGOs at the municipal level, and youth groups, to strengthen their knowledge in agro-ecology, monitoring, and advocacy related to human rights violations in municipalities. In the education sector, HAK monitors basic infrastructure in schools such as water supply, hygiene, sanitation, the implementation of education policies, curriculum, school feeding programs, and teacher training.

Regarding water issues, HAK conducts monitoring and social audits of water supply and citizens’ access to clean water. In the health sector, HAK monitors health policies, including the allocation of health professionals in health facilities (health posts, community health centers, and municipal health services) as well as other aspects of the health system, including the management of medicine supply and human resources.

She further stated that HAK also monitors land issues, including disputes and forced evictions carried out by relevant state authorities in Dili and municipalities, in coordination with the Land Network Secretariat. In the justice sector, HAK monitors prison conditions to understand the situation of prisoners as well as the welfare of prison guards, and the conditions and facilities at Becora, Gleno, and Suai prisons. HAK also works on awareness campaigns related to human rights and inclusion, and advocates to state institutions to strengthen integrated planning and inclusive investment to ensure the rights and fundamental freedoms of vulnerable groups.

The Timor-Leste state has made significant progress by ratifying international human rights instruments to ensure better protection, promotion, and fundamental freedoms for citizens. Such ratifications serve as a benchmark for the state’s commitment to uphold human rights. State public policies on development must place people at the center of development. Every public policy should have the primary goal of guaranteeing people’s well-being, as mentioned in the Constitution, Article 6, paragraph E, which relates directly to citizens’ welfare. The state, through the government, has taken measures and adopted public policies with changes and progress in several sectors, but the reality remains that some community rights continue to be violated.

She affirmed that in reality, communities still face forced evictions without dignity, which amount to serious human rights violations, as they are not given proper or adequate places to carry out their economic activities. Some communities still lack access to water sources and rivers, school infrastructure remains poor, medicines are limited, health facilities are inadequate and insufficient, roads are in bad condition, prisoners still lack effective assistance from public defenders, agricultural production is low, patriarchal thinking dominates society, public facilities are not accessible or inclusive, and discrimination continues against women, children, and minority groups.

According to HAK’s 2024 prison monitoring in Becora, Gleno, and Suai prisons, of 143 prisoners interviewed, 29% did not know their lawyer/defender, while 71% did.

Monitoring data in the municipalities of Baucau, Viqueque, Aileu, Ainaro, Dili, and Ermera, covering 50 villages revealed:

1. Health Sector (50 villages): Of the 50 villages, 41 have health posts and 9 do not. Among them, 37 health posts have access to clean water, while 13 do not. Of these, 31 have sufficient medicines, while 10 face shortages.
2. Agriculture Sector (50 villages): There are 54 irrigation systems, of which only 11 are in good condition and 43 are in poor condition. Out of 28 tractors, 18 are functional and 10 are not. In total, 37 villages have access to seeds, while 13 do not.
3. Education Sector (50 villages): There are 87 basic schools, with 71 classrooms in good condition and 16 in poor condition.
4. Water Supply (50 villages): Out of 66,363 households, 70% have access to piped water, 15% to water sources and rivers, and 15% to wells. Social audits of 41 rural water systems in Liquiça and Manufahi municipalities showed that most systems built over the past two years face operational and maintenance challenges due to frequent breakdowns. Of the 41 systems audited, 76% of the Village Water Facility Management Groups (GMF) were not functioning.

She reaffirmed that these conditions reflect the injustice faced by the people of Timor-Leste, largely due to discriminatory and non-inclusive public policies that fail to treat all people equally and are unresponsive to citizens’ needs, resulting in human rights violations, restrictions on fundamental freedoms, and ineffective public services.

Based on the above findings, HAK issued the following recommendations:

1. Urges the IX Government to allocate an adequate state budget for priority sectors essential to citizens’ rights, such as education, basic infrastructure, agriculture, and health.
2. Calls on the IX Government to immediately halt illegal evictions and ensure that all future evictions are carried out in line with the Constitution of RDTL, national laws, and international laws.
3. Calls on the National Parliament to intensify oversight of evictions implemented by the IX Government through the State Secretariat for Land Affairs and Urban Organization (SEATOU).
4. Urges the Ministry of Justice to accelerate the establishment of a Juvenile Rehabilitation Center and productive prison facilities in Weberek Prison, Manufahi.
5. Calls on the Government of Japan to issue a formal apology to victims of sexual slavery in Timor-Leste and to provide compensation and reparations for victims of the Second World War.
6. Recommends the Ministry of Education to include the history of the Second World War in the national curriculum.
7. Urges the National Parliament to ratify the international convention on enforced disappearances.
8. Calls on the Government to collaborate with relevant entities to draft a reparations law that ensures dignity for victims of past conflicts and victims of sexual violence of period 1974–1999.